Of Reading and Randomness 4
by gryffyndor12
Summary: Next install of ORAR 1,2,3. The Marauders and Lily find some interesting books.
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: Still not mine people!

A/N: Okay here's the beginning. Thanks for all the reviews. Hopefully you'll like this as well. I won't be posting as frequently a I did the rest since I'm very busy at the moment. Enjoy this for what it is, a plotless story made to pass the time till the next book comes out.

Beta: loonygrl90

As James Potter returned to his bedroom with a feeling of satisfaction, he immediately looked on his bookshelf. The old book had gone while they were out playing Quidditch.  
He found he wasn't that fussed, as he was tired anyway, and would quite like to go to sleep, and if a new book had appeared, he wouldn't have been able to sleep, knowing it was there to read.

So he went to bed and fell straight to sleep quite happily, and only woke up once, as Sirius had come into his room with a mattress, quilt and pillow and crashed on his floor, like he had done the previous nights. They stayed up for a bit, marvelling at themselves for beating the others easily at Quidditch and then talked of where the future Sirius might be hiding from the Dementors. Eventually, they fell asleep, and there was silence in the house yet again.

That is until the bookcase, which holds so much importance to our story, started to vibrate and emit yet another burst of blinding white light. It lasted for seconds, but when it vanished, just as suddenly as it had appeared, it left behind yet another book, which simply lay there on the bookcase unnoticed, while everyone slept soundly.

When Sirius Black woke up, he saw that clouds gathered over night, to make the sky a murky grey colour. This annoyed him slightly, as it meant that they couldn't play Quidditch, as it looked as if it was going to rain again.

Suddenly a flash made him sit up as though he'd been shocked, and a loud rumble of thunder followed.

He yawned and stretched and looked up at James, who was sprawled across his bed, muttering in his sleep.

He really liked it here, and he was glad that James was on speaking terms with him again. That last book nearly broke their friendship, and it had occurred to Sirius for the first time that these books were in fact dangerous... well, the information they gave was dangerous.  
He also thought about the future ... Could they change it now they knew what was going to happen or, by reading these books, were they contributing to what they knew would happen?

Sirius shook his head ... It was much too early in the morning for confusing thoughts such as these.

There was a soft knock on the door, and Remus entered.

"Peter's gone back home," he said. "His Mum came for him early this morning, apparently his Gran's ill again, and he's going to visit her in St Mungo's."

"What she do this time?"

"They think she tried to transfigure her walking stick, but whatever she did, it's stuck up her nose, and they're trying to repair it."

Sirius chuckled softly, and shook his head.

At that point, James gave a huge breath and rolled over, opening his eyes sleepily.

"Hey there, sleepy-head!" scoffed Sirius. "Dreaming about Quidditch? You were muttering on about something ..."

James shrugged and yawned, whilst rubbing his eyes and ruffling his hair.

"You do realise that when you do that to your hair, you look like an idiot?" said Sirius.

"Yeah, but it's only you two in the room, and I'm sure you've seen my hair worse," replied James indifferently.

"Where's Peter?" he asked after a pause.

"He's gone to see his Gran ... apparently she's put a spell on her walking stick, and it's now up her nose," replied Sirius.

James looked bewildered that someone could be so strange, then shook his head.

They began to have a simple chat, mainly about Quidditch, when Remus suddenly sprang over to the bookcase, his eyes wide with excitement."What?" they other two asked.

"Look!" he cried, and he picked up the new book and brandished it in their faces.

James grabbed it off him and read the cover: **: HARRY POTTER AND THE GOBLET OF FIRE**"Excellent!" said Sirius happily. "We can carry on! We can see what Harry gets up to in his ... what year are we at?""Fourth year," said James. "I'll go get Lily!"

"Hang on, hang on," said Sirius. "She might still be asleep. Besides, I'm hungry ... should we start it after breakfast?"

"Yeah, OK," said James, and he put the book on his bed.

They all went downstairs, where they were greeted by James' parents.

"Oh, James, dear, Peter had to leave this morning, his Gran's -"

"In hospital again, yeah, Remus and Sirius said," said James, smiling. "I hope she's OK. I'm sure the Healers'll fix her up in no time."

"Yes, of course they will. They're excellent people!" she said. "Right, I suppose you boys will be hungry?"

Sirius' eyes lit up at the prospect of one of Mrs Potter's breakfasts, and he rubbed his hands together and licked his lips, a stupid grin on his face.

James laughed at him. "Sirius, please say you'll never change!"

"I'll never change!" Lily came down as they were all helping themselves to breakfast. She was fully awake and dressed.

"Good morning, dear, you slept well?" asked Mrs Potter.

"Yes, thank you, very well!"

"Good, good - come and have some breakfast before Sirius eats it all!"

"Hey -" said Sirius, through a mouthful of eggs and toast.

The others chuckled at him.

Then the thunder and lightening fired up again, followed by a heavy downpour of rain.

"There goes Quidditch," said Mr Potter. "You'll all have to amuse yourselves indoors today!"

"We could play Quidditch in the house -"

"Or I could tell you that the price you pay for flying in the house is something you won't like," said James' father pleasantly, though the threat was evident.

"Oooh, and what's that?" asked James.

"Well, for starters, I could confiscate your broom, I could then make you de-gnome all the gardens in this neighbourhood, then make try a potion that I've made, borrowing one of your recipe's, of course."

"OK, OK, point taken!"

As they finished breakfast, the retreated noisily back upstairs.

"Another book appeared last night," James said to Lily.

"Really! Are we going to read it now?"

"Damn straight!"

"Hang on, what about Peter?" said Remus.

"Oh, yeah ... but he might not be back for the rest of the holidays," said James.

"Where is Peter, anyway?" asked Lily.

"Oh, his Gran's in St Mungo's."

"We could just read it and fill him in on what happened if he does come back," said Sirius.

"OK, that sounds good enough to me!" said James brightly. "Everyone agree?"

They all nodded, and James happily grabbed the book off his bed and opened it up.

"Anyone mind if I read first? No? Excellent!"

So he found the first chapter, got comfortable on his bed and began to read.

**: CHAPTER ONE**

: THE RIDDLE HOUSE: The villagers of Little Hangleton still called it "the Riddle House", even though it had been many years since the Riddle family lived there. It stood on a hill overlooking the village, some of its windows boarded, tiles missing from its roof, and ivy spreading unchecked over its face. Once a fine looking manor, and easily the largest and grandest building for miles around, the Riddle House was now damp, derelict and unoccupied."Sounds like a dump," muttered Sirius.

"Ssh!" the others hissed at him.

"I'm just saying -"

"Sirius, shut up!" **: The Little Hangletons all agreed that the old house was "creepy". Half a century ago, something strange and horrible had happened there, something that the older inhabitants of the village still liked to discuss when topics for gossip were scarce. The story had been picked over so many times, and had been embroidered in so many places, that nobody was quite sure what the truth was any more. Every version of the tale, however, started in the same place: **"Well, that's a good start - they're sure of the start," said Sirius.

They all blinked, and looked at Sirius.

**:Fifty years before, at daybreak on a fine summer's morning, when the Riddle House had still been well kept and impressive, and a maid had entered the drawing room to find all three Riddles dead.**"That's awful!" said Lily, putting her hands over her mouth.

James was looking thoughtful, and Remus was sure he was thinking what he was thinking.

**: The maid had run screaming down the hill into the village, and roused as many people as she could.**

: "Lying there with their eyes wide open! Cold as ice! Still in their dinner things!"

: The police were summoned, and the whole of Little Hangleton had seethed with shocked curiosity and ill-disguised excitement. Nobody wasted their breath pretending to feel very sad about the Riddles, for they had been most unpopular."Charming," said Sirius coolly.

**: Elderly Mr an Mrs Riddle had been rich, snobbish and rude, and their grown-up son, Tom, had been even more so.**James shifted uneasily, and looked up at the others.

"What?" asked Sirius.

"Tom Riddle? It can't be a coincidence," said James in reply. "Tom Riddle is Voldemort's _real_ name ... he said he was named after his father!"

"Are you trying to say that this Tom Riddle guy is Voldemort's father?" said Sirius, horrified.

"I think so." **: All the villagers cared about was the identity of their murderer - plainly; three apparently healthy people did not all drop dead of natural causes on the same night.**"Nope, highly unlikely," said Remus.

"I don't like the sound of where this is going," said James uneasily.**: The Hanged Man, the village pub, did a roaring trade that night; the whole village had turned out to discuss the murders.**"Not an appealing name for a pub, is it?" said Lily, slightly disturbed.  
"I know ... bit gruesome!" agreed Sirius.

**: They were rewarded for leaving their firesides when the Riddles' cook arrived dramatically in their midst, and announced to the suddenly silent pub that a man called Frank Bryce had just been arrested.**

: "Frank!" cried several people. "Never!"

: Frank Bryce was the Riddles' gardener. He lived alone in a run-down cottage in the Riddle house grounds. Frank had come back from the war with a very stiff leg and a great dislike of crowds and loud noises, and had been working for the Riddles ever since.

**  
: They were in a rush to buy the cook drinks, and hear more details.**

**  
: "Always thought he was odd," she told the eagerly listening villagers, after her fourth sherry. "Unfriendly, like. I'm sure if I've offered him a cuppa once, I've offered it a hundred times. Never wanted to mix, he didn't."**"That doesn't make him a criminal, though," said James.

"Muggles have weird ways of thinking!" scowled Sirius. "No offense!" he added to Lily.**: "Ah, now," said a woman at the bar, "he had a hard war, Frank, he likes the quiet life. That's no reason to -"**

: "Who else had a key to the back door, then?" barked the cook. "There's been a spare key hanging in the gardener's cottage far back as I can remember! Nobody forced the door last night! No broken windows! All Frank had to do was creep up to the big house while we was all sleeping ..." 

**  
: The villagers exchanged dark looks.**

**  
: "I always thought he had a nasty look about him, right enough," grunted a man at the bar.**

: "War turned him funny, if you ask me," said the landlord.

: "Told you I wouldn't like to get on the wrong side of Frank, didn't I, Dot?" said an excited woman in the corner.

: "Horrible temper," said Dot, nodding fervently. "I remember when he was a kid ..."

: By the following morning, hardly anyone in Little Hangleton doubted that Frank Bryce had killed the Riddles."Why would a gardener kill his employees? He'd be out of work!" said James.

"There are loads of reasons people kill others," said Lily. "Not that I'm saying that this Frank guy did it, but, he could have done it."

**: But over in the neighbouring town of Great Hangleton, in the dark and dingy police station, Frank was stubbornly repeating, again and again, that he was innocent, and that the only person he had seen near the house on the day of the Riddles' deaths had been a teenage boy, a stranger, dark-haired and pale. Nobody else in the village had seen any such boy, and the police were quite sure that Frank had invented him.**"Sounds like the Tom Riddle we met in book two," said James, looking at the others, who nodded.**: Then, just as things were looking very serious for Frank, the report on the Riddles' bodies came back and changed everything. **

: The police had never read an odder report. A team of doctors had examined the bodies, and had concluded that none of the Riddles had been poisoned, stabbed, shot, strangled, suffocated or (as far as they could tell) harmed at all. In fact, the report continued, in a tone of unmistakable bewilderment, the Riddles appeared to be in perfect health - apart from the fact that they were all dead."Is that what Avada Kedavra does to people?" asked Lily tensely.

"I dunno, I've never seen anyone use it, but it sounds like magic is involved," said James, just as tensely.**: The doctors did note (as though determined to find something wrong with the bodies) that each of the Riddles had a look of terror upon his or her face - but as the frustrated police said, whoever heard of three people being _frightened_ to death? **"Well, I've never heard of it," said Sirius. "Is that what the curse does? Frighten people to death, or does it just make your body ... stop, or something?"

"I dunno ... though Harry seems to remember green light, or something when he tried to remember the night we died, so maybe that has something to do with it ..." said James.**: As there was no proof that the Riddles had been murdered at all, the police were forced to let Frank go. The Riddles were buried in the Little Hangleton churchyard, and their graves remained objects of curiosity for a while. To everyone's surprise, and amidst a cloud of suspicion, Frank Bryce returned to his cottage in the grounds of the Riddle House.**"Why not - he hadn't done anything wrong!" said Sirius.

**: "'S'far as I'm concerned, he killed them, and I don't care what the police say," said Dot in the Hanged Man. "And if he had any decency, he'd leave here, knowing as how we knows he did it."  
**  
"But you're wrong, so you're annoying him for nothing," said James stubbornly.

**: But Frank did not leave. He stayed to tend the garden for the next family who lived in the Riddle House, and then the next - for neither family stayed long. Perhaps it was partly because of Frank that each new owner said there was a nasty feeling about the place, which, in the absence of inhabitants, started to fall into disrepair.**

"But if he didn't do it, why do people think it's creepy?" said James.

"But they think he did it - to the Muggles he's the only possible person with the opportunity to do it." said Remus. "They know nothing of magic or Voldemort."

"Yes, I know, but it's still frustrating, all the same!"

**: The wealthy man who owned the Riddle House these days neither lived there nor put it to any use;**

"So what's the point in having it, then?" said Sirius, as though the Muggle who owned it was completely bonkers.  
**  
: they said in the village that he kept it for "tax reasons", though nobody was very clear what these might be. The wealthy owner continued to pay Frank to do the gardening, however. Frank was nearing his seventy-seventh birthday now, very deaf, his bad leg stiffer then ever, but he could be seen pottering around the flower beds in fine weather, even though the weeds were starting to creep up on him.**"Never mind, at least he still does what he gets paid for - I mean, if the owner is never there, how does he check up on him?" said James.

**: Weeds were not the only things Frank had to contend with, either. Boys from the village made a habit of throwing stones through the windows of the Riddle House. They rode their bicycles over the lawns Frank worked so hard to keep smooth. Once or twice, they broke into the old house for a dare. They knew that old Frank was devoted to the house and grounds, and it amused them to see him limping across the garden, brandishing his stick yelling croakily at them.**"Gits," muttered James.

"What are you talking about - that's the sort of thing we'd do," said Sirius.

"I know, but we're gits, too."

Sirius shrugged.

**: Frank, on his part, believed the boys tormented him because they, like their parents and grandparents, thought him a murderer. So when Frank awoke one night in August, and saw something very odd up at the old house, he merely assumed that the boys had gone one step further in their attempts to punish him.**

: It was Frank's bad leg that woke him; it was paining him worse then ever in his old age. He got up and limped downstairs to the kitchen, with the idea of re-filling his hot-water bottle to ease the stiffness in his knee. Standing at the sink, filling the kettle, he looked up at the Riddle House and saw lights glimmering in its upper windows. Frank knew at once what was going on. The boys had broken into the house again, and judging by the flickering quality of the light, they had started a fire.They swapped uneasy looks, wondering if boys would even go to all these lengths to annoy an old man, when simple things like throwing stones at the windows infuriated him enough ... **: Frank had no telephone, and in any case, he had deeply mistrusted the police ever since they had taken him in for questioning about the Riddles' deaths.**"Are the police people who uphold the law?" asked Sirius. "Here they've been mentioned again, and I'm not sure what they are."

"Basically, yes - they uphold the law," said Lily.**: He put down the kettle at once, hurried back upstairs as fast as his bag leg would allow, and was soon back in his kitchen, fully dressed and removing a rusty old key from its hook by the door. He picked up his walking stick, which was propped against the wall, and set off into the night.**"Why do have a horrible feeling about this?" asked Remus.

"I don't know, but I have one too," said Sirius.

**: The front door of the Riddle House bore no sign of being forced, and nor did any of the windows. Frank limped around to the back of the house until he reached a door almost completely hidden by ivy, too out the old key, put it into the lock and opened the door noiselessly.**

James shivered. "I think you should go get help, mate, before going in there."

"But he doesn't trust anyone," said Sirius.

"Besides, who's going to listen to him - they all think he's a murderer!" said Remus.

**: He had led himself into the cavernous kitchen. Frank had not entered it for many years; nevertheless, although it was very dark, he remembered where the door into the hall was, and he groped his way towards it, his nostrils full of the smell of decay, ears pricked for any sound of footsteps or voices from overhead. He reached the hall, which was a little lighter owing to the large mullioned windows on either side of the front door, and started to climb the stairs, blessing the dust which lay thick upon the stone, because it muffled the sound of his feet and stick.**"See, dust does have a use!" said Sirius.

Remus threw a pillow at him.

**: On the landing, Frank turned right, and saw at once where the intruders were: at the very end of the passage a door stood ajar, and a flickering light shone through the gap, casting a long sliver of gold across the black floor. Frank edged closer and closer, grasping his walking stick firmly. Several feet from the entrance, he was able to see a narrow slice of the room beyond.**"I'm sorry, but this doesn't sound like kids to me," said Lily.

"I know," the others agreed.**: The fire, he now saw, had been lit in the grate. This surprised him. He stopped moving and listened intently, for a man's voice spoke within the room; it sounded timid and fearful.**

: "There is a little more in the bottle, my Lord, if you are still hungry."

: "Later," said a second voice. This, too, belonged to a man - but it was strangely high-pitched, and cold as a sudden blast of icy wind. Something about that voice made the sparse hairs on the back of Frank's neck stand up. "Move me closer to the fire, Wormtail.""Oh my God, Peter's there with Voldemort!" said James, standing up in horror.

Sirius pounded one of his fists into his other hand and growled, "He's so stupid! Does he not realise Voldemort's gonna just do away with him the instant he's finished with his needs!"

"Apparently not," said Remus stonily.

**: Frank turned his right ear towards the door, the better to hear. There came the chink of a bottle being put down upon some hard surface, and then the dull scraping noise of a heavy chair being dragged across the floor. Frank caught a glimpse of a small man, his back to the door, pushing the chair into place. He was wearing a long black cloak, and there was a bald patch at the back of his head. Then he disappeared from sight again.**

: "Where is Nagini?" said the cold voice.

: "I - I don't know, my Lord," said the first voice nervously. "She set out to explore the house, I think ..." "Nagini?" said James puzzled. "Who's Nagini?"

The others shrugged.

**: "You will milk her before we retire, Wormtail," said the second voice. "I will need feeding in the night. The journey has tired me greatly."**

: Brow furrowed, Frank inclined his good ear still closer to the door, listening very hard. There was a pause, and then the man called Wormtail spoke again."Peter, just leave him in the night - go to Dumbledore and tell him where Voldemort is!" urged James to the book.

"He'll just follow him," said Remus.

"I doubt it, it looks like he needed Wormtail to get him there."  
**  
: "My Lord, may I ask how long we are going to stay here?"**

: "A week," said the cold voice. "Perhaps longer. The place is moderately comfortable, and the plan cannot proceed yet. It would be foolish to act before the Quidditch World Cup is over."

: Frank inserted a gnarled finger into his ear and rotated it. Owing, no doubt to the build-up of earwax,  
  
"Nice," said Sirius.

**: he had heard the word "Quidditch", which was not a word at all.**

"Of course it's a word!" said James frantically. "I'll never understand how Muggles survive without Quidditch! I mean, it's the greatest -"

"James - James - Shh," said Lily.

**: "The - the Quidditch World Cup, my Lord?" said Wormtail. (Frank dug his finger still more vigorously into his ear.) "Forgive me, but - I do not understand - why should we wait until the World Cup is over?" **"Maybe he is doomed to be an idiot," said Sirius.

James looked hard at him.

**: "Because, fool, at this very moment wizards are pouring into the country from all over the world, and every meddler from the Ministry of Magic will be on duty, on the watch for signs of unusual activity, checking and double-checking identities. They will be obsessed with security, lest the Muggles notice anything. So we wait." **"Unfortunately, though, Voldemort is rather clever," said Sirius broodingly.

"You'd have to be to gain such power, and drive so much fear into people so that they won't even utter his name," said James seriously.

**: Frank stopped trying to clear his ear out. He had distinctly heard the words "Ministry of Magic", "wizards" and "Muggles". **"This Muggle's rather clever," said Lily. "Most Muggles simply ignore words like that and put it down to some weird joke or cult or something ..." **: Plainly, each of these expressions meant something secret, and Frank could think of only two sorts of people who would speak in code - spies and criminals.**"And these guys are both," said James. "So get out of there, right now!" **: Frank tightened his hold on his walking stick once more, and listened more closely still.**

: "Your Lordship is still determined, then?" Wormtail said quietly.

: "Certainly I am determined, Wormtail." There was a note of menace in the cold voice now.

: A slight pause followed - and then Wormtail spoke, the words tumbling from him in a rush, as though he was forcing himself to say this before he lost his nerve.

: "It could be done without Harry Potter, my Lord."  
  
"What could be done without Harry Potter?" said James quickly, sounding very alarmed that these two people were discussing his son.

Lily had put her hands over her mouth in horror.

Sirius' fists were in tight balls, and he was shaking furiously.

**: Another pause, more protracted, and then -**

: "Without Harry Potter?" breathed the second voice softly. "I see ..."

: "My Lord, I do not say this out of concern for the boy!" said Wormtail, his voice rising squeakily.James' nostrils flared in anger.**: "The boy is nothing to me, nothing at all! It is merely if we were to use another witch or wizard - any wizard - the thing could be done so much quickly! If you allowed me to leave you for a short while - you know that I can disguise myself most effectively - I could be back here in as little as two days with a suitable person -" **

"Is he doing this to do as he says, or simply to get away from him?" asked James, his tone changing.

"I think he's trying to get away, but Voldemort will see through that in a second!" said Remus.

"So he's regretting his decision to help that filth - good," said Sirius.

**: "I could use another wizard," said the second voice softly, "that is true ..."**

: "My lord, it makes sense," said Wormtail, sounding thoroughly relieved now, "laying hands on Harry Potter would be so difficult, he is so well protected -"

: "And so you volunteer to go and fetch me a substitute? I wonder ... perhaps the task of nursing me has become wearisome for you, Wormtail? Could this suggestion of abandoning the plan be nothing more than an attempt to desert me?"  
  
"See," said Remus. "He's seen through it instantly. Peter's not a good enough liar, he never was."

**: "My Lord! I - I have no wish to leave you, none at all -"**

: "Do not lie to me!" hissed the second voice. "I can always tell, Wormtail! You are regretting that you ever returned to me. I revolt you. I see you flinch when you look at me, feel you shudder when you touch me ..."

: "No! My devotion to your Lordship -"

: "Your devotion is nothing more than cowardice. You would not be here if you had anywhere else to go. How am I to survive without you, when I need feeding every few hours? Who is to milk Nagini?"  
  
"You could just - do it yourself," said Sirius sarcastically.

Remus looked at him as if he was stupid.

"What? He can't harm me when I'm here and he's ... there!"

**: "But you seem so much stronger, my Lord -"**

: "Liar," breathed the second voice. "I am no stronger, and a few days alone would be enough to rob me of the little health I have regained under your clumsy care. _Silence_!" "There you have it, Peter! Just run away tonight - leave him there to rot!" said James.

**: Wormtail, who had been spluttering incoherently, fell silent at once. For a few seconds, Frank could hear nothing but the fire crackling. Then the second man spoke once more, in a whisper that was almost a hiss.**

: "I have my reasons for using the boy, as I have already explained to you, and I will use no other."What reasons are they? What are you gonna do to my boy, you evil, twisted git!" spat James.

Sirius got out his list again, and after adding a new name to it, he began to grin mischievously and scribbled away.

**: I have waited thirteen years. A few more months will make no difference. As for the protection surrounding the boy, I believe my plan will be effective.**"You believe wrong, then! Not while Dumbledore's there with him!" said James defiantly.**: All that is needed is a little courage from you, Wormtail - **"Then there might be hope for us after all," said Sirius. "You'll find more courage in a brick wall!" **: courage you will find, unless you wish to feel the full extent of Lord Voldemort's wrath -"**

: "My Lord, I must speak!" said Wormtail, panic in his voice now. "All through our journey I have gone over the plan in my head - my Lord, Bertha Jorkins's disappearance will not go unnoticed for long, and if we proceed, if I curse -": "If?" whispered the second voice. "_If_? If you follow the plan, Wormtail, the Ministry need never know that anyone else has disappeared. You will do it quietly, and without fuss; I only wish that I could do it myself, but in my present condition ... come, Wormtail, one more obstacle removed and our path to Harry Potter is clear.

"That doesn't sound good, from our point of view," said Sirius.

"No it doesn't - I swear, if he even touches Harry, I'm gonna ... I'm gonna ... "

But what James was going to do, was never found out, for he simply muttered to himself furiously for a while.

**: I am not asking you to do it alone. By that time, my _faithful_ servant will have rejoined us -"**

: "_I_ am a faithful servant," said Wormtail, the merest trace of sullenness in his voice.

: "Wormtail, I need somebody with brains, somebody whose loyalty had never wavered, and you, unfortunately, fulfill neither requirement."

"What and you find that surprising?" asked Sirius harshly. "Just look at him!"

"Sirius, that's enough," said James. "Just because Peter isn't here doesn't mean we can make fun of him."

**: "I found you," said Wormtail, and there was a definitely a sulky edge to his voice now. "I was the one who found you. I brought you Bertha Jorkins." **"Peter, don't put up with his crap - just leave tonight!" urged James desperately.

Lily was nodding feverently with him.**: "That is true," said the second man, sounding amused. "A stroke of brilliance I would not have thought possible from you, Wormtail - though, if truth be told, you were not aware how useful she would be when you caught her, were you?"**

: "I - I thought she might be useful, my Lord -"

: "Liar," said the second voice again, the cruel amusement more pronounced than ever. "However, I do not deny that her information was invaluable. Without it, I could never have formed our plan, and for that, you will have your reward, Wormtail. I will allow you to perform an essential task for me, one that many of my followers would give their right hands to perform ..."

: "R - really, my Lord? What -?" Wormtail sounded terrified again.

"Why are you doing this, peter - he's going to kill you, you fool!" said James hopelessly.

**: "Ah, Wormtail, you don't want me to spoil the surprise? Your part will come at the very end ... but I promise you, you will have the honour of being just as useful as Berths Jorkins." **"She's dead," said Remus simply. "She must be, that's why they're going on about her."

"Wait a minute," said Sirius. "Bertha Jorkins? That idiot who was always in bother with Dumbledore for being a nosy gossip? She always got herself jinxed by people she'd annoyed ... you remember!"

"Oh yeah, her," said James, realising who Sirius meant.

"Hmph," said Lily huffily. "She's an idiot all right - though, I hope she's not dead."

**: "You ... you ..." Wormtail's voice sounded suddenly hoarse, as though his mouth had gone very dry. "You ... are going ... to kill me, too?" **"Damn," said James softly.  
Sirius bowed his head.**: "Wormtail, Wormtail," said the cold voice silkily, "why would I kill you? **"'Cos you're an evil git?" said Sirius.

**: I killed Bertha because I had to. She was fit for nothing after my questioning, quite useless. In any case, awkward questions would have been asked if she had gone back to the Ministry with the news that she had met you on her holidays. Wizards who are supposed to be dead would do well not to run into Ministry of Magic witches at wayward inns ..."**

"How she became employed by the Ministry is beyond me," said Sirius.

"She's got quite a good memory, though ... she might have worked for the _Daily Prophet_."  
**  
: Wormtail muttered something so quietly that Frank could not hear it, but it made the second man laugh - an entirely mirthless laugh, cold as his speech.**

: "_We could have modified her memory_? But Memory Charms can be broken by a powerful wizard, as I proved when I questioned her. It would be an insult to her _memory_ not to use the information I extracted from her, Wormtail."  
  
"This is horrible - they're plotting something," said Lily, sounding terrified.

"And it doesn't sound good for Harry," said Sirius.

"Maybe it's got something to do with that Prophecy Harry heard from that Trelawney woman," said James thoughtfully. "Maybe he's trying to get back to power."

There was an uneasy silence, in which they all looked at each other tensely.

Then a flash of lightening made them all jump.

**: Out in the corridor, Frank suddenly became aware that the hand gripping his walking stick was slippery with sweat. The man with the cold voice had killed a woman. He was talking about it without any kind of remorse - with _amusement_. He was dangerous - a madman.**

"Understatement of the year," muttered Sirius sarcastically.

**: And he was planning more murders - this boy, Harry Potter, whoever he was - was in danger - **

Lily shivered, and hugged herself, looking extremely worried.

**: Frank knew what he must do. Now, if ever, was the time to go to the police. He would creep out of the house and head straight for the telephone box in the village ... but the cold voice was speaking again, and Frank remained where he was, frozen on the spot, listening with all his might.**

"No!" said James. "Get out of there - go to the police! Get help!"

**: "One more curse ... my faithful servant at Hogwarts ... **

"What?" they all said, not daring to believe what they'd just heard.

"Who would serve him ... and dare to go under Dumbledore's nose?" said James uneasily.

"Snape," said Sirius straight away.

James pulled a face that looked like he wasn't convinced. "Hmm ... maybe ..."**: Harry Potter is as good as mine, Wormtail. It is decided. There will be no more argument. But quiet ... I think I hear Nagini ..."**

: And the second man's voice changed. He started making noises such as Frank had never heard before; he was hissing and spitting without drawing breath. Frank thought he must be having some sort of fit or seizure.  
  
"Must be speaking parseltongue," muttered Remus.

**: And then Frank heard movement behind him in the dark passageway. He turned to look behind him, and found himself paralysed with fright.**

: Something was slithering towards him along the dark corridor floor, and as it drew nearer to the sliver of firelight, he realised with a thrill of terror that it was a gigantic snake, at least twelve feet long."Freeze!" said James suddenly. "Don't move ... when it goes into the room, get out of there as fast as you can! The snake'll tell him you're there instantly!"

**: Horrified, transfixed, Frank stared at it as its undulating body cut a wide, curving track through the thick dust on the floor, coming closer and closer - what was he to do? The only means of escape was into the room where two men sat plotting murder, yet if he stayed where he was the snake would surely kill him - **"It won't touch you if Voldemort's calling it, probably ... it will afterwards when it tells him you're there!" said James. "SO GET OUT OF THERE!"

**: But before he had made his decision, the snake was level with him, and then, incredibly, miraculously, it was passing; it was following the spitting, hissing noises made by the cold voice behind the door, and in seconds, the tip of its diamond-patterned tail had vanished through the gap.  
**  
"GET OUT OF THERE!" said James. "Get out while you still can!"

**: There was sweat on Frank's forehead now, and the hand on the walking stick was trembling. Inside the room, the cold voice was continuing to hiss, and Frank was visited by a strange idea, an impossible idea ... _This man could talk to snakes._**

"Not impossible, but you wouldn't know about that," said Sirius.

"What are you doing!" said James frustrated. "Why are you still there?"

**: Frank didn't understand what was going on. He wanted more than anything to be back in his bed with his hot-water bottle.  
**  
"So go! Right now!" said James.

**: The problem was that his legs didn't seem to want to move. As he stood there shaking and trying to master himself, the cold voice switched abruptly to English again.**

: "Nagini has interesting news, Wormtail," it said.  
  
"Damn," said James softly.

**: "In - indeed, my Lord?" said Wormtail.**

: "Indeed, yes," said the voice. "According to Nagini, there is an old Muggle standing right outside this room, listening to every word we say."

"RUN!" they all called. "GET GOING!"

**: Frank didn't have a chance to hide himself. There were footsteps, and then the door of the room was flung wide open.**

: A short, balding man with greying hair, a pointed nose and small, watery eyes stood before Frank, a mixture of fear and alarm on his face.  
  
"Come on, Peter, let him go ... just say he'd buggered off ..." muttered James, though he didn't sound convinced that he would do what he was hoping.

**: "Invite him inside, Wormtail. Where are your manners?" **"He's dead," said Remus hopelessly.

**: The cold voice was coming from the ancient armchair before the fire, but Frank couldn't see the speaker.  
**  
"Just as well, I bet it's not a pretty sight," said Remus grimly.

"So he must be sitting in a chair ... how, though?" muttered James.

"What d'you mean?" asked Sirius.

"Well, he hasn't got a body ... what's going on?"

**: The snake, on the other hand, was curled up on the rotting hearth-rug, like some horrible travesty of a pet dog.**

: Wormtail beckoned Frank into the room. Though still deeply shaken, Frank took a firmer grip upon his walking stick, and limped over the threshold."Bad idea, very bad idea," muttered James.  
**  
: The fire was the only source of light in the room; it was casting long, spidery shadows upon the walls. Frank stared at the back of the armchair; the man inside it seemed to be even smaller than his servant, for Frank couldn't even see the back of his head.  
**  
They all shuddered.  
**  
: "You heard everything, Muggle?" said the cold voice.**

: "What's that you're calling me?" said Frank defiantly, for now that he was inside the room, now that the time had come for some sort of action, he felt braver; it had always been so in the war.

: "I am calling you a Muggle," said the voice coolly. "It means that you are not a wizard."

: "I don't know what you mean by wizard," said Frank, his voice growing steadier. "All I know is I've heard enough to interest the police tonight, I have. You've done murder and you're planning more! And I'll tell you this, too," he added, on sudden inspiration, "my wife knows I'm up here, and if I don't come back -"  
  
"No, don't lie to him ... " said James worriedly.

**: "You have no wife," said the voice, very quietly. "Nobody knows you are here. You told nobody that you were coming. Do not lie to Lord Voldemort, Muggle, for he knows ... he always knows ..."  
**  
"How does he know?" asked Sirius.

"I think there's a brand of magic that allows others to enter your mind or something ... like reading minds," said Remus. "But I dunno where I read it ..."

**: "Is that right?" said Frank roughly. "Lord, is it? Well, I don't think much of your manners, _my Lord_.  
**  
They all groaned.**: Turn round and face me like a man, why don't you?" **They all winced.

**: "But I am not a man, Muggle," said the cold voice, barely audible now over the crackling of the flames. "I am much, much more than a man. However ... why not? I will face you ... Wormtail, come turn my chair around."**

: The servant gave a whimper.

: "You heard me, Wormtail."

: Slowly, with his face screwed up, as though he would rather have done anything than approach his master and the hearth-rug where the snake lay, the small man walked forwards and began to turn the chair. The snake lifted its ugly triangular head and hissed slightly as the legs of the chair snagged on its rug.  
  
They all waited, holding their breath, their faces screwed up with the knowledge that this man was about to die horribly.**: And then the chair was facing Frank, and he saw what was sitting in it. His walking stick fell to the floor with a clatter. He opened his mouth and let out a scream. He was screaming so loudly that he never heard the words the thing in the chair spoke, as it raised a wand. There was a flash of green light, a rushing sound, and Frank Bryce crumpled. He was dead before he hit the floor.  
**  
Lily had covered her face with her hands and turned away from the book.

James was looking angry, as though fretting over the injustice of it all.

**: Two hundred miles away, the boy called Harry Potter woke with a start.**

"Huh?" they all said confused.

"That's weird ... unless this J. K. Rowling put it there to make it interesting, or to make us think ..." said Remus.

The others shrugged.

"That's the end of the chapter anyway," said James, and he held out the book. "I don't want to read ... not after someone's died ..."

Sirius took the book.


	2. Chapter 2

**Disclaimer: Do I really need to write this?**

**A/N: Next chapter soon!**

**Beta: loonygrl90**

**: CHAPTER TWO**

: THE SCAR

: Harry lay flat on his back, breathing hard as though he had just been running. He had awoken from a vivid dream with his hands pressed over his face.  
  
"Oh, my poor boy ... he needs a hug!" cooed Lily.

"It was just a dream, Lily, I'm sure Harry'll be fine," said James.

"But it was a nightmare ... he wants a cuddle!" said Lily defiantly.

James rolled his eyes.

**: The old scar on his forehead, which was shaped like a bolt of lightning, was burning beneath his fingers as though someone had just pressed a white-hot wire to his skin.**

"That's not good," said James slowly, sounding unnerved. "That's not good at all ..."

Remus looked at James, with the same unnerved look.

"Do you think Harry dreamed what happened to that guy?" asked Sirius slowly.

"Dunno ... "

"I hope not ... how horrible! Dreaming about someone dying!" said Lily.

"No, that's not the point I'm making ... it seems that that old guy _actually_ died ... it's just, did Harry dream that, is it real?"

James did not like the sound of that, and he hugged his knees.  
**  
: He sat up, one hand still on his scar, the other reaching out in the darkness for his glasses, which were on the bedside table. He put them on and his bedroom came into clearer focus, lit by a faint, misty orange light that was filtering through the curtains from the street lamp outside the window.**

: Harry ran his fingers over the scar again. It was still painful. He turned on the lamp beside him, scrambled out of bed, crossed the room, opened his wardrobe and peered into the mirror on the inside of the door. A skinny boy of fourteen looked back at him, his bright green eyes puzzled under his untidy black hair. He examined the lightning-bolt scar of his reflection more closely. It looked normal, but it was still stinging.

"Do curse scars normally do that?" asked James.

"Dunno ..." said Sirius. "The dream's scared me more ... what does it mean?"

**: Harry tried to recall what he had been dreaming about before he had awoken. It had seemed so real ... there had been two people he knew, and one he didn't ... he concentrated hard, frowning, trying to remember ... **"I never remember my dreams either," muttered James.

"Oh, so he's inherited this from you! My son had your nightmare gene!" said Lily.

"You can't tell me that you never have dreams?"

"Yes, but that's not the point!"

**: The dim picture of a darkened room came to him ... there had been a snake on the hearth-rug ... and a cold, high voice ... the voice of Lord Voldemort.**

They all shuddered.

"My son is dreaming things that are real?" wondered James aloud.

"Sounds like it," said Remus.

**: Harry felt as though an ice cube had slipped down into his stomach at the very thought ...**

: He closed his eyes tightly and tried to remember what Voldemort had looked like, but it was impossible ... All Harry knew was that at the moment when Voldemort's chair had swung around, and he, Harry, had seen what was sitting in it, he had felt a spasm of horror which had awoken him ... or had it been the pain in his scar?

"Probably both," said Sirius.

"My poor baby!" cried Lily.**: And who had the old man been? For there had definitely been an old man; Harry had watched him fall to the ground. It was all becoming confused; Harry put his face into his hands, blocking out his bedroom, trying to hold on to the picture of the dimly lit room, but it was like trying to keep water in his cupped hands; the details were now trickling away as fast as he tried to hold on to them ... Voldemort and Wormtail had been talking about someone they had killed, though Harry could not remember the name ... they had plotting to kill someone else ... _him_ ... **"Harry, you will write to Dumbledore this instant and tell him everything you remember!" commanded James.

"Yeah, Dumbledore'll know what to do!" said Sirius encouragingly.

**: Harry took his face out of his hands, opened his eyes and stared around his bedroom as though expecting to see something unusual there.**"Aww ... he's scared!" said Lily. "Petunia should be in there with him ... but no! She doesn't care at all about her own sister's child!"

**: As it happened, there were an extraordinary number of unusual things in this room. A large wooden trunk stood open at the foot of his bed, revealing a cauldron, broomstick, black robes and assorted spellbooks. Rolls of parchment littered that part of his desk that was not taken up by the large cage in which his snowy owl, Hedwig, usually perched.**"So, what's unusual about all that?" asked James.

"Well, they are unusual in a Muggle house," said Lily.

**: On the floor beside his bed a book lay open; he had been reading it before he fell asleep the previous night. The pictures in the book were all moving. Men in bright orange robes were zooming in and out of sight on broomsticks, throwing a red ball to each other.**

"That's what I like to see ... reading up on Quidditch before bed!" said James happily.

"Yes, but if that's what's giving him nightmares, then I think it'll have to be stopped," said Lily.

Sirius laughed at the dumbfounded look on James' face.

**: Harry walked over to this book, picked it up and watched one of the wizards score a spectacular goal by putting the ball through a fifty-foot-high hoop. Then he snapped the book shut. Even Quidditch - in Harry's opinion, the best sport in the world - couldn't distract him at the moment. He places _Flying with the Cannons_ on his bedside table, crossed to the window and drew back the curtains to survey the street below.**

: Privet Drive looked exactly as a respectable suburban street would be expected to look in the early hours of Saturday morning. All the curtains were closed. As far as Harry could see through the darkness, there wasn't a living creature in sight, not even a cat.

"That's a good sign," said James. "Isn't it?"

"Voldemort or Peter aren't there, so that's good," said Remus.

**: And yet ... and yet ... Harry went restlessly back to his bed and sat down on it, running a finger over his scar again. It wasn't the pain that bothered him; Harry was no stranger to pain and injury. He had lost all the bones from his right arm once, and had them painfully regrown at night. The same arm had been pierced by a venomous foot-long fang not long afterwards. Only last year Harry had fallen fifty feet from an airborne broomstick. He was used to bizarre accidents and injuries; they were unavoidable if you attended Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry and had a knack for attracting a lot of trouble.  
**  
"A true Potter at heart," said James proudly.

**: No, the thing that was bothering Harry was that the last time his scar had hurt him, it had been because Voldemort had been close by ... **Lily let out a horrified gasp.

"But there's no one there, we're sure of that!" said James quickly, standing up.

**: But Voldemort couldn't be here, now ... The idea of Voldemort lurking in Privet Drive was absurd, impossible ...**

: Harry listened closely to the silence around him. Was he half expecting to hear the creak of a stair, or the swish of a cloak? And then he jumped slightly as he heard his cousin Dudley give a tremendous grunting snore from the next room.  
  
"Pig," they all muttered.

**: Harry shook himself mentally; he was being stupid; there was no one in the house with him except Uncle Vernon, Aunt Petunia and Dudley, and they were plainly still asleep, their dreams untroubled and painless.**

: Asleep was the way Harry liked the Dursleys best; it wasn't as though they were ever any help to him awake. Uncle Vernon, Aunt Petunia and Dudley were Harry's only living relatives. They were Muggles (non-magic people) who hated and despised magic in any form, which meant that Harry was about as welcome in their house as dry rot."Hmmm ... charming, I'm sure the feeling is mutual!" snapped Sirius angrily.

"It's OK, Padfoot - he has you now, remember!" said James.

They grinned at each other.

**: They had explained Harry's long absences at Hogwarts over the last three years by telling everyone that he went to St Brutus's Secure Centre for Incurably Criminal Boys. They knew perfectly well that, as an underage wizard, Harry wasn't allowed to use magic outside Hogwarts, but were still apt to blame him for anything that went wrong in the house.**"Has it ever occured to you that it might be that pig of a son of yours that might be causing such havoc?" asked Lily. "I mean, he's stupid enough to cause a washing machine to blow up just by turning it on!"

**: Harry had never been able to confide in them, or tell them anything about his life in the wizarding world. The very idea of going to them when they awoke, and telling them about his scar hurting him, and his worries about Voldemort, was laughable.**"Poor guy," said Remus sympathetically.

"It's fine, 'cos he can now tell me!" said Sirius. "I don't mind! I'll discuss anything with him!"

"Damn straight! You're a real mate!" said James.

"Yes, thank you so much for doing this, Sirius!" said Lily. "I - we really appreciate it!"

"No problem! He's my bast mate's son! It's the lest I can do!" said Sirius happily.

**: And yet it was because of Voldemort that Harry had to come to live with the Dursleys in the first place. If it hadn't been for Voldemort, Harry would not have the lightning scar on his forehead. If it hadn't been for Voldemort, Harry would still have parents ... **They all stayed silent, as if being respectful.

**: Harry had been a year old the night that Voldemort - the most powerful Dark Wizard for a century, a wizard who had been gaining power steadily for eleven years - arrived at his house and killed his father and mother. Voldemort had then turned his wand on Harry; he had performed the curse that had disposed of many full-grown witches and wizards in his steady rise to power - and, incredibly, it had not worked.**

"We've been told this so many times," said Sirius. "You dying doesn't get any easier, but it makes me happy that Harry at least survived."

James smiled. **: Instead of killing the small boy, the curse had rebounded upon Voldemort. Harry had survived with nothing but a lightning-shaped cut on his forehead, and Voldemort had been reduced to something barely alive. His powers gone, his life almost extinguished, Voldemort had fled; the terror in which the secret community of witches and wizards had lived for so long had lifted, Voldemort's followers had disbanded, and Harry Potter had become famous.  
**  
"That's my boy!" said James proudly. "You show that evil git that you don't mess with us Potters!"

**: It had been enough of a shock for Harry to discover, on his eleventh birthday, that he was a wizard; it had been even more disconcerting to find out that everyone in the hidden wizarding world knew his name. Harry had arrived at Hogwarts to find that heads turned and whispers followed him wherever he went. **"He doesn't seem to like the attention much, does he?" said Remus.

"No, not like his father in that respect," said Lily, but there was a mischievous grin on her face.

**: But he was used to it now: At the end of this summer, he would be starting his fourth year at Hogwarts; and he was already counting the days until he would be back at the castle again.**

: But there was still a fortnight to go before he went back to school. He looked hopelessly around his room again, and his eye paused on the birthday cards his two best friends had sent him at the end of July. What would they say if he wrote to them and told them about his scar burning?

"They'll probably think you've gone paranoid, or panic ..." said James.

**: At once, Hermione Granger's voice filled his head, shrill and panicky.**

: _"Your scar hurt? Harry, that's really serious ... Write to Professor Dumbledore! And I'll go and check_ Common Magical Ailments and Afflictions ... _Maybe there's something in there about curse scars ..._"

: Yes, that would be Hermione's advice: Go straight to the Headmaster of Hogwarts, and in the meantime, consult a book.

"He knows her too well," said Lily smiling fondly.

James looked at her with a strange look on his face. **: Harry stared out of the window at the inky, blue-black sky. He doubted very much whether a book could help him now. As far as he knew, he was the only living person to have survived a curse like Voldemort's; it was highly unlikely, therefore, that he would find his symptoms listed in _Common Magical Ailments and Afflictions_.**

"Probably not," said James, frowning.

**: As for informing that Headmaster, Harry had no idea where Dumbledore went during the summer holidays.**

"Still, Harry, I think it would be best to write to him," said Lily. "Hedwig would be able to find him, I'm sure of it!"

"Yes, Harry. I have a feeling that Dumbledore'd want to know something like that," said Remus.

**: He amused himself for a moment, picturing Dumbledore, with his long silver beard, full-length wizard's robes and pointed hat, stretched out on a beach somewhere, rubbing suntan lotion into his long crooked nose.**

They all chuckled at Harry's image.

**: Wherever Dumbledore was, though, Harry was sure that Hedwig would be able to find him; Harry's owl had never failed to deliver a letter to anyone, even without an address. But what would he write?**

"Oh, good question," said James, frowning.

**: _Dear Professor Dumbledore. Sorry to bother you, but my scar hurt this morning. Yours sincerely, Harry Potter._**

"Well, I wouldn't write that," said Lily. "That sounds stupid."

**: Even inside his head the words sounded stupid.**

: And so he tried again to imagine his other best friend, Ron Weasley's, reaction, and in a moment, Ron's long-nosed, freckles face seemed to swim before Harry, wearing a bemused expression.

: "_Your scar hurt? But ... You-Know-Who can't be near you now, can he? I mean ... you'd know, wouldn't you? He'd be trying to do you in again, wouldn't he? I dunno, Harry, maybe curse scars always twinge a bit ... I'll ask Dad ..."  
_  
They all chucked at this, as they knew it was very like Ron.

**: Mr Weasley was a fully qualified wizard who worked in the Misuse of Muggle Artefacts Office at the Ministry of Magic, but he didn't have any particular expertise in the matter of curses, as far as Harry knew.**

"This is requiring a lot of thinking!" said Sirius. "It's too early in the morning of such brain power!"

**: In any case, Harry didn't like the idea of the whole Weasley family knowing that he, Harry, was getting jumpy about a few moments' pain. Mrs Weasley would fuss worse then Hermione, and Fred and George, Ron's sixteen-year-old twin brothers, might think Harry was losing his nerve. The Weasleys were Harry's favourite family in the world; he was hoping they might invite him to stay any time now (Ron mentioned something about the Quidditch World Cup), and he somehow didn't want his visit punctuated with anxious enquiries about his scar.**

"I understand, Harry, it'll get totally annoying after a while," said James.

**: Harry kneaded his forehead with his knuckles. What he really wanted (and he felt almost shameful to admit it to himself) was someone like - someone like a _parent_: **"Awww," said Lily sadly. "He wants us, James ..."

James closed his eyes and bowed his head.

**: an adult whose advise he could ask without feeling stupid, someone who cared about him, who had had experience of Dark Magic ..."**

"Write to me, Harry! I care about you! I'll give any sort of help possible!" said Sirius encouragingly.

James looked up, "Yes, of course! Write to Sirius, Harry! He'll help in any way he can!"

**: And then the solution came to him. It was so simple and so obvious that he couldn't believe it had taken him so long - _Sirius_.**

"Damn straight!" said James.

Sirius grinned broadly.

**: Harry leapt up from the bed, hurried across the room and sat down at his desk; he pulled a piece of parchment towards him, loaded his eagle-feather quill with ink, wrote _Dear Sirius_, then paused wondering how best to phrase his problem, and still marvelling at the fact that he hadn't thought of Sirius straight away.**

Sirius looked slightly worried about this simple fact, but he didn't say anything about it. After all, a few months previously, Harry believed he was a murderer ...

**: But then, perhaps it wasn't so surprising - after all, he had only found out that Sirius was his Godfather two months ago.**

"I thought he found out before that?" said James.

"Does it really matter, the point is that he found out," said Remus.

**: There was a simple reason for Sirius' complete absence from Harry's life until then - Sirius had been in Azkaban, the terrifying wizard jail guarded by creatures called Dementors, sightless, soul-sucking fiends who had come to search for Sirius at Hogwarts when he had escaped.**

Sirius grinned triumphantly at his achievement.

**: Yet Sirius had been innocent - the murder for which he had been convicted had been committed by Wormtail, Voldemort's supporter, whom nearly everybody now believed dead.**

Sirius was pounding his fist in his hands. "I can't believe Peter out-smarted me, of all people!"

**: Harry, Ron and Hermione knew otherwise, however; they had come face to face with Wormtail the previous year, though only Professor Dumbledore had believed their story.**

: For one glorious hour, Harry had believed that he was leaving the Dursleys at last, because Sirius had offered him a home once his name had been cleared. But the chance was snatched away from him - Wormtail had escaped before they could take him to the Ministry of Magic, and Sirius had had to flee for his life. Harry had helped him escape on the back of a Hippogriff called Buckbeak, and since then, Sirius had been on the run."Pretty cool, eh?" said Sirius.

"It certainly goes with your rebellious personality," said Remus.

"It'll be a good story for the ladies," said Sirius. "They love a rebel."

"This explains why you're single," muttered Remus.

James grinned, as Lily tutted.

**: The home Harry might have had if Wormtail had not escaped had been haunting him all summer. It had been doubly hard returning to the Dursleys knowing that he had so nearly escaped them for ever.**

"Never mind, Harry" said James. "You'll be away from there in no time!"

"Ron'll invite you to his, I know he will!" said Sirius.  
**  
: Nevertheless, Sirius had been of some help to Harry, even if he couldn't be with him. It was due to Sirius that Harry now had all his school things in his bedroom with him. The Dursleys had never allowed this before; their general wish of keeping Harry as miserable as possible, coupled with their fear of his powers, had led them to lock his school trunk in the cupboard under the stairs every summer prior to this. But their attitude had changed since they found out that Harry had a dangerous murderer for a godfather - Harry had conveniently forgotten to tell them that Sirius was innocent.**

"And I beg you not to tell them such a thing!" said Sirius.

James chuckled. "That's my boy!"

**: Harry had received two letters from Sirius since he had been back at Privet Drive. Both had been delivered, not by owls (as was usual with wizards) but by large, brightly coloured, tropical birds. Hedwig had not approved of these flashy intruders; she had been most reluctant to allow them to drink from her water tray before flying off again.**

"Are all owls this proud, or just Harry's," said James, amused.

"I think a lot of them are proud, but Hedwig seems to be particularly so. But at least she's loyal to Harry," said Remus, also sounding amused.

**: Harry, on the other hand, had liked them; they put him in mind of palm trees and white sands, and he hoped that wherever Sirius was (Sirius never said, in case the letters were intercepted) he was enjoying himself.**

"Must be nice for some," said James.

"Yes, I think I'm making up for my missed luxuries from life," said Sirius.

"So it seems. People would think you were on the run or something," said Remus.

**: Somehow, Harry found it hard to imagine Dementors surviving for long in bright sunlight; perhaps that was why Sirius had gone south. Sirius' letters, which were now hidden beneath the highly useful loose floorboard under Harry's bed, sounded cheerful, and in both of them he had reminded Harry to call on him if ever Harry needed to. Well, he needed to now, all right ...**

: Harry's lamp seemed to grow dimmer as the cold grey light that precedes sunrise slowly crept into the room. Finally, when the sun had risen, when his bedroom walls had turned gold and the sounds of movement could be heard from Uncle Vernon and Aunt Petunia's room, Harry cleared his desk of crumpled pieces of parchment, and re-read his finished letter."Excellent!" said James, rubbing his hands together. "He's found inspiration, so it seems!"

"I hope that it gets to Sirius soon," said Lily. "I mean, what if it happens again!"

"He'll be fine," said James reassuringly. "Sirius'll know what to do!"

**: _Dear Sirius,_**

: _Thanks for your last letter, that bird was enormous, it could hardly get through my window._

: _Things are the same as usual here. Dudley's diet isn't going too well. My aunt found him smuggling doughnuts into his room yesterday. They told they'd have to cut his pocket money if he keeps doing it, so he got really angry and chucked his PlayStation out of the window. That's a sort of computer thing you can play games on.  
_  
"What a brat he is! He'll be expecting them to replace it as well!" said James angrily.

"And yet, they can't remember my Harry's birthday!" snorted Lily.  
**  
: _Bit stupid really, now he hasn't even got_ Mega-Mutilation Part Three _to take his mind off things._**They all laughed.

**: _I'm OK, mainly because the Durselys are terrified you might turn up and turn them all into bats if I ask you to._**"Not that he's asking you to there, Sirius," said Remus quickly noticing the unholy glee that sparked in Sirius face.**: _A weird thing happened this morning, though. My scar hurt again. Last time that happened it was because Voldemort was at Hogwarts. But I don't reckon he can be here now, can he? Do you know if curse scars sometimes hurt years afterwards?_**

: _I'll send this with Hedwig when she gets back, she's off hunting at the moment. Say hello to Buckbeak for me._

: _Harry_

"That seems all right," said James.

**: Yes, thought Harry, that looked all right. There was no point putting in the dream, he didn't want it to look as though he was too worried. **"But you should, Harry. He might be able to help with that as well!" said Lily.**: He folded the parchment up and laid it aside on his desk, ready for when Hedwig returned. Then he got to his feet, stretched and opened his wardrobe once more. Without glancing at his reflection, he started to get dressed before going down to breakfast.**"Not like his father in that respect, then," said Lily mischievously. "Always looking at himself in the mirror!"

"Well, if you're this good-looking as a result, it's worth it!"


	3. Chapter 3

**Disclaimer: Not mine**

**Beta: loonygrl90**

**CHAPTER THREE **

**: THE INVITATION **

"Knew Ron would get there eventually!" said James happily.

**: By the time Harry arrived in the kitchen, the three Dursleys were already seated around the table. None of them looked up as he entered or sat down. Uncle Vernon's large red face was hidden behind the morning's Daily Mail and Aunt Petunia was cutting a grapefruit into quarters, her lips pursed over her horse-like teeth. **

**  
: Dudley looked furious and sulky, and somehow seemed to be taking up even more space than usual. **

"That's because he's a fat, ugly, stupid piggy wart!" said Sirius.

**: This was saying something, as he always took up an entire side of the square table by himself. **

"Urgh," they all winced.

**: When Aunt Petunia put a quarter of unsweetened grapefruit onto Dudley's plate with a tremulous "There you are, Diddy darling", **

"I have no idea where she's learned to be that annoying, 'cos my parents don't go on like that," said Lily in disgust.

**: Dudley glowered at her. His life had taken a most unpleasant turn since he had come home for the summer with his end-of-year report. **

**  
: Uncle Vernon and Aunt Petunia had managed to find excuses for his bad marks as usual; Aunt Petunia always insisted that Dudley was a very gifted boy whose teachers didn't understand him; while Uncle Vernon maintained that "he didn't want some swotty little nancy boy for a son anyway". **

"Oh well, just as well, 'cos it doesn't look like it's gonna happen," said James harshly.

"Nope, I think you'd find more brains in rats droppings than you would in his head," said Sirius.

**: They also skated over the accusations of bullying in the report - "He's a boisterous little boy, **

"Little!" they all exclaimed.

**: but he wouldn't hurt a fly!" said Aunt Petunia tearfully. **

"Are you calling my son a fly?" glowered James.

They all looked at James.

**: However, at the bottom of the report there were a few well chosen comments from the school nurse which not even Uncle Vernon and Aunt Petunia could explain away. No matter how much Aunt Petunia wailed that Dudley was big-boned, and that his poundage was really puppy-fat, and that he was a growing boy who needed plenty of food, the fact remained that the school outfitters didn't stock knickerbockers big enough for him anymore. **

"That's because he's a fat pig," said James. 

"The fact that you're proud of such an achievement is worrying," said Remus.

**: The school nurse had seen what Aunt Petunia's eyes - so sharp when it came to spotting fingerprints on her gleaming walls, and in observing the comings and goings of the neighbours - simply refused to see: that, far from needing extra nourishment, Dudley had reached roughly the size and weight of a young killer whale. **

"I like this school nurse," said James, smiling. "About time someone told those two idiots that their son is a disgrace to the human race!"

**: So - after many tantrums, after arguments that shook Harry's bedroom floor, and many tears from Aunt Petunia - the new regime had begun. The diet sheet that had been sent by the Smeltings school nurse had been taped to the fridge, which had been emptied of all Dudley's favourite things - fizzy drinks and cakes, chocolate bars and burgers - and filled instead with fruit and vegetables and the sorts of things that Uncle Vernon called "rabbit food". **

"You could do with a diet as well, so you should follow it too!" said Lily. "It'd make your son feel better, if he knew someone was doing it with him."

**: To make Dudley feel better about it all, Aunt Petunia had insisted that the whole family follow the diet too. **

"Hey! What's Harry done to deserve that? He's skinny enough!" said Lily angrily. "It's your son and husband with the weight problem, not my son!"

**: She now passed a grapefruit quarter to Harry. He noticed that it was a lot smaller than Dudley's. **

"What a surprise," said James dully.

**: Aunt Petunia seemed to feel that the best way to keep up Dudley's morale was to make sure that he did, at least, get more to eat than Harry. **

"He's gonna be skin and bone by the end of the holidays!" said Lily worriedly. 

"It's OK ... Ron'll invite him to his place, and he'll get fed up there!" said James happily.

**: But Aunt Petunia didn't know what was hidden under the loose floorboard upstairs. She had no idea that Harry wasn't following the diet at all. The moment he had got wind of the fact that he was expected to survive the summer on carrot sticks, Harry had sent Hedwig to his friends with pleas for help, and they had risen to the occasion magnificently.**

"That's my boy! Good on you Harry!" said James proudly.

**: Hedwig had returned from Hermione's house with a large box stuffed full of sugar-free snacks (Hermione's parents were dentists). Hagrid, the Hogwarts gamekeeper, had obliged with a sack full of his own home-made rock cakes (Harry hadn't touched these; he had had too much experience of Hagrid's cooking). Mrs Weasley, however, had sent the family owl, Errol, with an enormous fruitcake and assorted pasties. Poor Errol, who was elderly and feeble, had needed a full five days to recover from the journey. **

They all chuckled.

**: And then on Harry's birthday (which the Dursleys had completely ignored) he had had received four superb birthday cakes, one each from Ron, Hermione, Hagrid and Sirius. Harry still had two of them left, and so, looking forward to a real breakfast when he got back upstairs, he started eating his grapefruit without complaint. **

They all smiled triumphantly at Harry's achievement.

**: Uncle Vernon laid aside his paper with a deep sniff of disapproval and looked down at his own grapefruit quarter.   
**

**: "Is this it?" he said grumpily to Aunt Petunia. **

"It'll keep you til lunch-time you fat pie!" scoffed Sirius.

**: Aunt Petunia gave him a very severe look, and then nodded pointedly at Dudley, who had already finished his own grapefruit quarter, and was eyeing Harry's with a very sour look in his little piggy eyes. **

"Don't even think about it!" said Lily grimly. 

"Just try and take it from him fat-so!" snarled James.

**: Uncle Vernon gave a great sigh with ruffled his large, butchy moustache, and picked up his spoon. **

**  
: The doorbell rang. Uncle Vernon heaved himself out of his chair and set off down the hall. **

"Bet that was a hard effort for you. You'll have to take the day off work now to recover," muttered Sirius sarcastically.

James burst out laughing.

**: Quick as a flash, while his mother was occupied with the kettle, Dudley stole the rest of Uncle Vernon's grapefruit. **

"Brat," they all muttered. 

"Didn't your mother ever tell you that it's wrong to steal?" said Sirius, in a high-pitched voice.

"Didn't yours?" asked Remus sarcastically.

**: Harry heard talking at the door, and someone laughing, and Uncle Vernon answering curtly. Then the front door closed, and the sound of ripping paper came from the hall.   
**

**: Aunt Petunia set the teapot down on the table and looked curiously around to see where Uncle Vernon had got to. She didn't have to wait long to find out; after about a minute, he was back. He looked livid. **

"Isn't that how he always looks?" asked James.

"Probably is, if he married Petunia," muttered Lily.

**: "You," he barked at Harry. **

"HIS - NAME - IS - HARRY!" stormed James, going red in the face. "It's not a hard name to remember - even someone as stupid as you can remember that!"

**: "In the living room. Now." **

"Please ..." said Sirius.

**: Bewildered, wondering what on earth he was supposed to have done this time, Harry got up and followed Uncle Vernon out of the kitchen and into the next room. Uncle Vernon closed the door sharply behind both of them.   
**

**: "So," he said, marching over to the fireplace and turning to face Harry as though he was going to pronounce him under arrest. "So." **

"So what?" they all asked.

**: Harry would have dearly loved to have said "So what?", but he didn't feel that Uncle Vernon's temper should be tested this early in the morning, especially when it was already under severe strain from lack of food. **

"Aww," said Sirius, looking disappointed.

**: He therefore settled for looking politely puzzled. **

**  
: "This just arrived," said Uncle Vernon. he brandished a piece of purple writing paper at Harry. "A letter. **

"Well aren't you a genius," said James sarcastically. 

"Yeah, it's a letter, Harry. Just in case you didn't realise," added Sirius.

**: About you."   
**

**: Harry's confusion increased. Who would be writing to Uncle Vernon about him? Who did he know who sent letters by the postman?   
**

**: Uncle Vernon glared at Harry, then looked down at the letter, and began to read aloud; **

"He can read?" asked Sirius.

The others laughed.

_**: Dear Mr and Mrs Dursley,   
**_

_**: We have never been introduced, but I am sure you have heard a great deal from Harry about my son Ron. **_

"It's the Weasleys!" said James happily. "They're asking them if Harry can come round to stay!"

_**: As Harry might have told you, the final of the Quidditch World Cup takes place next Monday night, and my husband, Arthur, has managed to get prime tickets through his connections at the Department of Magical Games and Sports. **_

"Excellent!" cried James excitedly.

_**: I do hope you will allow us to take Harry to the match, as this really is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity; Britain hasn't hosted the Cup for thirty years and tickets are extremely hard to come by. We would of course be glad to have Harry to stay for the remainder of the summer holidays, and to see him safely onto the train back to school. **_

_**  
: It would be best for Harry to send us your answer as quickly as possible in the normal way, because the Muggle postman has never delivered to our house, and I'm not sure he even knows where it is.   
**_

_**: Hoping to see Harry soon. **_

_**: Yours sincerely, **_

_**  
: Molly Weasley **_

_**  
: P.S. I do hope we've put enough stamps on. **_

"They'll not let him go," said Lily dully. "They know he'll want to go, so they won't let him to keep him miserable." 

"My arse! He's going whether they like it or not!" said James adamantly. "They'll come and get him anyway. Ron knows how much Harry hates it there!"

**: Uncle Vernon finished reading, put his hand back into his breast pocket and drew out something else.   
**

**: "Look at this," he growled. **

**: He held up the envelope in which Mrs Weasley's letter had come, and Harry had to fight down a laugh. Every bit of it was covered in stamps except for a square inch on the front, into which Mrs Weasley had squeezed the Dursleys' address in minute writing. **

They all laughed fondly.

"She obviously didn't take Muggle Studies," said James.

"Yeah, but Percy did, why didn't he tell her how to do it properly?" said Remus.

**: "She did put enough stamps on, then," said Harry, trying to sound as though Mrs Weasley's was a mistake anyone could make. **

"But he won't think that," said Lily, sounding irritated.

**: His uncle's eyes flashed. **

**  
: "The postman noticed," he said through gritted teeth. **

"Well, he's a postman ... he's got a pair of eyes, of course he'd've noticed!" said Sirius, as though Uncle Vernon was stupid.

**: "Very interested to know where this letter came from, he was. That's why he rang the doorbell. Seemed to think it was funny." **

"It's only an envelope with too many stamps on, no one's gonna launch a huge investigation over it, you plonker!" said James.

**: Harry didn't say anything. Other people might not understand why Uncle Vernon was making a fuss about too many stamps, but Harry had lived with the Dursleys too long not to know how touchy they were about anything even slightly out of the ordinary. Their worst fear was that anyone would find out that they were connected (however distantly) with people like Mrs Weasley. **

"Hey, you're bloody honoured to be recognised by the Weasleys!" said Sirius indignantly. "They're good, honest people, which is more than what I can say for you!"

"You said it, mate," said James.

**: Uncle Vernon was still glaring at Harry, who tried to keep his expression neutral. If he didn't do or say anything stupid, he might just be in for the treat of a lifetime. He waited for Uncle Vernon to say something, but he merely continued to glare. Harry decided to break the silence. **

"Yeah, it seems even talking is too much for this guy," muttered Sirius. 

James laughed.

**: "So - can I go, then?" he asked. **

"Of course you can go, Harry! I wouldn't let you miss this for the world!" said James.

**: A slight spasm crossed Uncle Vernon's large, purple face. **

"Urgh," they all grimaced.

**: The moustache bristled. Harry thought he knew what was going on behind the moustache: a furious battle as two of Uncle Vernon's most fundamental instincts came into conflict. Allowing Harry to go would make Harry happy, something Uncle Vernon had struggled against for thirteen years. On the other hand, allowing Harry to disappear to the Weasleys' for the rest of the summer would get rid of him two weeks earlier than anyone could have hoped, and Uncle Vernon hated having Harry in the house. **

"Well, you're not much for company, either, fatty!" snarled Sirius.

**: To give himself thinking time, **

"If he can think at all," muttered Sirius darkly.

**: it seemed, he looked down at Mrs Weasley's letter again.   
**

**: "Who is this woman?" he said, staring at the signature with distaste. **

**  
:" You've seen her," said Harry. "She's my friend Ron's mother, she was meeting him off the Hog- off the school train at the end of last term."   
**

**: He had almost said "Hogwarts Express", and that was a sure way to get his uncle's temper up. Nobody ever mentioned the name of Harry's school aloud in the Dursley household. **

**  
: Uncle Vernon screwed up his enormous face as though trying to remember something very unpleasant. **

"What, like every time you look in a mirror, or at your son?" asked James. 

Everyone burst out laughing.

**: "Dumpy sort of woman?" he growled finally. "Load of children with red hair?" **

"Huh!" snorted Sirius.

"You can't call anyone dumpy!" snarled Remus. "Your own son is almost the size of a walrus, and ... well, have you looked in the mirror recently?"

**: Harry frowned. He thought it was a bit rich of Uncle Vernon to call anyone "dumpy", when his own son, Dudley, had finally achieved what he'd been threatening to do since the age of three, and become wider than he was tall. **

"Is that even physically possible?" asked James. 

"In his case ... yeah," said Lily nastily.

**: Uncle Vernon was perusing the letter again.   
**

**: "Quidditch," he muttered under his breath. "Quidditch - what is this rubbish?" **

"Quidditch is not rubbish!" said James furiously. "It's the best sport ever invented! And if you stop my son going to the Cup, I swear to God I'll find some way of getting you back!"

**: Harry felt a stab of annoyance.   
**

**: "It's a sport," he said shortly. "Played on broom-" **

**  
: "All right, all right!" said Uncle Vernon loudly. **

"Well you asked him what it was and he's telling you!" said James irritably. "Don't shout at him because you don't like the answer!"

**: Harry saw, with some satisfaction, that his uncle looked vaguely panicky. Apparently his nerves wouldn't stand for the sound of a word "broomsticks" in his living room. He took refuge in perusing the letter again. Harry saw his lips form the words "send us your answer in the normal way." He scowled. **

**  
: "What does she mean, the normal way?" he spat. **

**  
: "Normal for us," said Harry, and before his uncle could stop him, he added, "you know, owl post. That's what's normal for wizards." **

They all braced themselves.

**: Uncle Vernon looked as outraged as if Harry had just uttered a disgusting swear word. Shaking with anger, he shot a nervy look through the window, as though expecting to see some of the neighbours with their eyes pressed against the glass. **

**  
: "How many times do I have to tell you not to mention that unnaturalness under my roof?" he hissed, his face now a rich plum colour. "You stand there, in the clothes Petunia and I have put on your ungrateful back -" **

"Only after your fat son finished them!" snarled Lily.

"You've given Harry nothing except hell!" spat James angrily. "Don't take the moral high-ground with my son! It's you who should be ashamed of yourselves! You've given him nothing to be happy about! You're a disgrace to the name of parents or guardians!"

**: "Only after Dudley finished with them," said Harry coldly, and indeed, he was dressed in a sweatshirt so large for him that he had had to roll back the sleeves five times so as to be able to use his hands, and which fell past the knees of his extremely baggy jeans.**

**: "I will not be spoken to like that!" said Uncle Vernon, trembling with rage.**

**: But Harry wasn't going to stand for this.**

"That's my boy!" cried James cheerfully.

**: Gone were the days when he had been forced to take every singe one of the Dursleys' stupid rules. He wasn't following Dudley's diet, and he wasn't going to let Uncle Vernon stop him going to the Quidditch World Cup, not if he could help it.**

"Spoken like a true Potter!" said James proudly.

**: Harry took a deep, steadying breath and then said, "OK, I can't see the World Cup. Can I go now, then? Only I've got a letter to Sirius I want to finish. You know - my godfather."**

"Excellent, Harry! He'll be so terrified that Sirius'll come and curse him, he'll have no choice but to let you go!" said Remus.

"Good thinking, Harry!" said Lily happily.

**: He had done it. He had said the magic words. Now he watched the purple recede blotchily from Uncle Vernon's face, making it look like badly mixed black currant ice-cream.**

**: "You're - you're writing to him, are you?" said Uncle Vernon, in a would-be calm voice - but Harry had seen the pupils of his tiny eyes contract with sudden fear.**

**: "Well - yeah," said Harry casually. "It's been a while since he heard from me, and, you know, if he doesn't, he might start thinking something's wrong."**

**: He stopped to enjoy the effect of these words.**

"This is good ... the dilemma in his head now will be too much for him to comprehend!" said Remus, chortling.

**: He could almost see the cogs working under Uncle Vernon's thick, dark, neatly parted hair. If he tried to stop Harry writing to Sirius, Sirius would think Harry was being mistreated. If he told Harry he couldn't go to the Quidditch World Cup, Harry would write and tell Sirius, who would _know_ that he was being mistreated.**

"And I'd come and beat you all to a pulp!" snarled Sirius, smashing one fist into the other hand.

**: There was only one thing for Uncle Vernon to do. Harry could see the conclusion forming in his mind as though the great moustached face was transparent. **

"There wouldn't be much there if it was transparent," said James sarcastically.

**: Harry tried not to smile, to keep his own face as blank as possible. And then- **

**  
: "Well, all right then. You can go to this ruddy ... this stupid ... **

"Hey! It's NOT stupid!" snapped James.

**: this World Cup thing. You write and tell these - these Weasleys they're to pick you up, mind. I haven't got time to go dropping you off all over the country. **

"Bet you'd find time if it were Dudley going and not Harry," said Lily icily, her eyes narrowed and her arms folded.

**: And you can spend the rest of the summer there. And you can tell your - your godfather ... tell him ... tell him you're going." **

"Ha HA!" cried James happily. "Thanks Sirius, you're a true mate!" 

"You're welcome!"

"But he didn't do anything!" said Remus, exasperated.

"Exactly, that's how brilliant I am! Imagine what I could have done if I was there!" said Sirius smugly.

**: "OK then," said Harry brightly. **

**  
: He turned and walked towards the living-room door, fighting the urge to jump into the air and whoop. He was going ... he was going to the Weasleys', he was going to watch the Quidditch World Cup! **

"WOO HOO!" cried James and Sirius stupidly and they began to run about and have pillow fights with everyone. They all ended up in an exhausted heap on the floor, and carried on with the book as if nothing had happened.

**: Outside in the hall he nearly ran into Dudley, who had been lurking behind the door, clearly hoping to overhear Harry being told off. He looked shocked to see the broad grin on Harry's face. **

"Humph! I even hate him, and he's loads younger than me, and doesn't know better!" snarled Lily.

"Bet that's put him in an even worse mood - no food, and no gloomy Harry! In your face Dursley!" said Sirius triumphantly.

**: "That was an _excellent_ breakfast, wasn't it?" said Harry. "I feel really full, don't you?" **

"Of course he doesn't ... he's used to at least four breakfasts!" said Sirius. 

"So are you," muttered James.

**: Laughing at the astonished look on Dudley's face, Harry took the stairs three at a time, and hurried himself back into his bedroom.   
**

**: The first thing he saw was that Hedwig was back. She was sitting in her cage, staring at Harry with her enormous amber eyes, and clicking her beak in the way that meant she was annoyed about something. **

"He's got such an opinionated owl!" said Sirius irritably. "He needs to get it told!"

**: Exactly what was annoying her became apparent almost at once. **

**  
: "OUCH!" said Harry. **

**  
: What appeared to be a small, grey, feathery tennis ball had just collided with the side of Harry's head. Harry massaged his head furiously, looking up to see what had hit him, and saw a minute owl, small enough to fit into the palm of his hand, whizzing excitedly around the room like a loose firework. **

"What kind of owl goes on like that?" asked Sirius.

**: Harry then realised that the owl had dropped a letter at his feet. Harry bent down, recognised Ron's handwriting, then tore open the envelope. **

"It must be the owl you gave Ron at the end of last term," said James. 

"Well, only Sirius could find an owl with a mental personality like his!" said Remus. 

Sirius stuck his tongue out at them all.

**: Inside was a hastily scribbled note. **

_**: Harry - DAD GOT THE TICKETS - Ireland versus Bulgaria, Monday night. **_

"Excellent!" cried James and Sirius.

_**: Mum's writing to the Muggles to ask you to stay. They might already have the letter, I don't know how fast Muggle post is. Thought I'd send this with Pig anyway. **_

"Pig?" they all said, confused.

**: Harry stared at the word "Pig", then looked up at the tiny owl now zooming around the lampshade on the ceiling. He had never seen anything that looked less like a pig. Maybe he couldn't read Ron's writing. He went back to the letter: **

_**: We're coming for you whether the Muggles like it or not, you can't miss the World Cup, only Mum and Dad reckon it's better if we pretend to ask their permission first. If they say yes, send Pig back with your answer pronto, and we'll come and get you at five o'clock on Sunday. If they say no, sand Pig back pronto and we'll come and get you at five o'clock on Sunday anyway. **_

"Sounds good to me," said James happily. 

"Why didn't he just say send Pig back and we'll come and get you?" asked Sirius.

"Who cares, Harry's going to the Quidditch World Cup, isn't he!" said James.

**_: Hermione's arriving this afternoon. Percy's started work - the Department of International Magical Co-operation. Don't mention anything about Abroad while you're here unless you want the pants bored off you.   
_**

_**: See you soon - Ron **_

**: "Calm down!" said Harry, as the small owl flew low over his head, twittering madly with what Harry could only assume was pride at having delivered the letter to the right person. "Come here, I need you to take my answer back!" **

"Yep, only Sirius could find such a mad owl," said Remus.

Sirius threw a pillow at him.

**: The owl fluttered down on top of Hedwig's cage. Hedwig looked coldly up at it, as though daring it to try and come any closer. **

They laughed.

**: Harry seized his eagle-feather quill once more, grabbed a fresh piece of parchment, and wrote: **

_**: Ron, it's all OK, the Muggles say I can come. See you five o'clock tomorrow. Can't wait. **_

_**  
: Harry **_

"Hopefully it'll get back to him before tomorrow" said Lily, sounding doubtful.

**: He folded this note up very small and, with immense difficulty, tied it to the tiny owl's leg as it hopped on the spot with excitement. The moment the note was secure, the owl was off again, it zoomed out of the window and out of sight. **

"Nutter," muttered Remus, shaking his head.

Sirius threw a pillow at him.

**: Harry turned to Hedwig. **

**  
: "Feeling up to a long journey?" he asked her. **

**  
: Hedwig hooted in a dignified sort of way. **

**  
: "Can you take this to Sirius for me?" he said, picking up his letter. "Hang on ... I just want to finish it." **

**  
: He unfolded the parchment again and hastily added a postscript. **

_**: If you want to contact me, I'll be at my friends Ron Weasley's for the rest of the summer. His dad's got us tickets for the Quidditch World Cup! **_

"WOO HOO!" cheered James. 

"I'd take him if I could, you know," said Sirius.

"We know, mate, but these things happen." said Remus.

**: The letter finished, he tied it to Hedwig's leg; she kept unusually still, as though determined to show him how a real post owl should behave. **

They chuckled.

**: "I'll be at Ron's when you get back, all right?" Harry told her.   
**

**: She nipped his finger affectionately, then, with a soft swooshing noise, spread her enormous wings and soared out of the open window. **

**  
: Harry watched her out of sight, then crawled under his bed, wrenched up the loose floorboard, and pulled out a large chunk of birthday cake. He sat there on the floor eating it, savouring the happiness that was flooding through him. **

James smiled broadly.

**: He had cake, and Dudley had nothing but grapefruit; it was a bright summer's day, he would be leaving Privet Drive tomorrow, his scar felt perfectly normal again, and he was going to watch the Quidditch World Cup. **

"Been a good day for Harry today," said Remus lightly.

"Damn straight!"

**: It was hard, just now, to feel worried about anything - even Lord Voldemort. **

"Quidditch ... is there anything it can't do?" said James. 

Lily shook her head.

"That's the end of the chapter," said Sirius, holding out the book.

Remus took it from him and began to read.


	4. Chapter 4

**Disclaimer: still not mine**

**Beta: loonygrl90**

**CHAPTER FOUR **

**  
: BACK TO THE BURROW **

"Woo hoo!" cheered James.

**: By twelve o'clock the next day, Harry's trunk was packed with his school things, and all his most prized possessions - the Invisibility Cloak he had inherited from his father, the broomstick he had got from Sirius, the enchanted map of Hogwarts he had been given by Fred and George Weasley last year. He had emptied his hiding place under the loose floorboard of all food, double-checked every nook and cranny of his bedroom for forgotten spellbooks or quills, and taken down the chart on the wall counting the days down to September the first, on which he liked to cross off the days remaining until his return to Hogwarts. **

James smiled, and rubbed his hands together.

**: The atmosphere inside number four, Privet Drive was extremely tense. **

"That's what I like to hear!" said Sirius. "They'll be absolutely terrified that they'll be hosting a load of wizards!"

**: The imminent arrival at their house of an assortment of wizards was making the Dursleys uptight and irritable. Uncle Vernon had looked downright alarmed when Harry informed him that the Weasleys would be arriving at five o'clock the very next day. **

They chuckled scathingly at the Dursleys.

**: "I hope you told them to dress properly, these people," he snarled at once. "I've seen the sort of stuff your lot wear. They'd better have the decency to put on normal clothes, that's all." **

"But we do wear normal clothes?" said Sirius.

"They mean Muggle clothes, you idiot!" said Remus.

"I know, it's just that they're implying that they're not normal, but they're perfectly normal to me!"

**: Harry felt a slight sense of foreboding. He had rarely seen Mr or Mrs Weasley wearing anything that the Dursleys would call "normal". **

"So, I hope they come in robes!" said James defiantly. "Don't be ashamed, Harry! They wouldn't make the effort for us if we invited them to a wizard home or something!"

**: Their children might don Muggle clothing during the holidays, but Mr and Mrs Weasley wore long robes in varying states of shabbiness. Harry wasn't bothered about what the neighbours would think, but he was anxious about how rude the Dursleys might be to the Weasleys if they turned up looking like their worst idea of wizards. **

"Just as long as you're not rude to them, Harry, it doesn't matter what they think of the Weasleys ... you know them, they don't!" said Sirius. 

"Be proud of them, Harry! Who cares what those stupid Muggles think, the Weasleys aren't going to listen to them!" added James.

**: Uncle Vernon had put on his best suit. To some people, this might have looked like a gesture of welcome, but Harry knew it was because Uncle Vernon wanted to look impressive and intimidating. **

"Not that it'll happen, because I don't think you're capable of looking either impressive or intimidating," said Remus.

**: Dudley, on the other hand, looked somehow diminished. **

"Is that even possible?" asked James.

The others burst out laughing.

**: This was not because the diet was at last taking effect, but due to fright. **

"Well, it'll be a miracle diet if it worked on that lump!" snarled Lily.

**: Dudley had emerged from his last encounter with a fully grown wizard with a curly pig's tail poking out of the seat of his trousers, and Aunt Petunia and Uncle Vernon had had to pay for its removal at a private hospital in London. It wasn't altogether surprising, therefore, that Dudley kept running his hand nervously over his backside, and walking sideways from room to room, so as not to present the same target to the enemy. **

"Good, so they'll hopefully hit your face next time," said Sirius, delighted.

James was on the floor rolling around, laughing.

**: Lunch was an almost silent meal. Dudley didn't even protest at the food (cottage cheese and grated celery). **

"Urgh," they all winced.

Sirius looked amazed that such foods were edible at all.

**: Aunt Petunia wasn't eating anything at all. Her arms were folded, her lips were pursed and she seemed to be chewing her tongue, as though biting back the furious diatribe she longed to throw at Harry. **

"You yell at him, Petunia, and I'll have you!" said Lily threateningly. "It's not his fault you don't like wizards - leave him alone!"

**: "They'll be driving, of course?" Uncle Vernon barked across the table. **

**  
: "Er," said Harry. **

**  
: He hadn't thought of that. How were the Weasleys going to pick him up? They didn't have a car anymore; the old Ford Anglia they had once owned was currently running wild in the Forbidden Forest at Hogwarts. But Mr Weasley had borrowed a Ministry of Magic car last year; possibly he would do the same today? **

"I hope they do something cool, like Floo to their house," said Sirius.

"They'll not get very far - they'll probably have an electric fire - they'd get blocked up!" said Lily. 

"Flooing it is," said James, with a wicked grin on his face.

**: "I think so," said Harry.   
**

**: Uncle Vernon sorted into his moustache. **

"Urgh," they all said again.

**: Normally, Uncle Vernon would have asked what car My Weasley drove; he tended to judge other men on how big and expensive their cars were, but Harry doubted whether Uncle Vernon would have taken to Mr Weasley even if he drove a Ferrari. **

They all looked at Lily.

"It's a big, fast, posh, expensive car," she said.

"Cool - I want one," said Sirius.

**: Harry spent most of the afternoon in his bedroom; he couldn't stand watching Aunt Petunia peer out through the net curtains every few seconds, as though there had been a warning about escaped rhinoceros. Finally at a quarter to five, Harry went back into the living room. **

**  
: Aunt Petunia was compulsively straightening cushions. Uncle Vernon was pretending to read the paper **

"Well, any one would die of shock if they were told that an idiot like that could read," snarled Sirius.

**: but his tiny eyes were not moving, and Harry was sure he was really listening with all his might for the sound of an approaching car. Dudley was crammed into an armchair, his porky hands beneath him, clamped firmly around hit bottom. Harry couldn't take the tension; he left the room, and went and sat on the stairs in the hall, his eyes on his watch and his heart pumping fast from excitement and nerves. **

"If you watch your watch, Harry, time drags on," said Remus.

"Yeah, but it is still effectively the same amount of time," said Sirius.

"I know that, but it just feels longer."

"But it isn't."

"What are you trying to get at, Sirius?"

"I'm just trying to annoy you."

"Oh, well, it's not working."

"Yes it is."

"No it isn't."

"It is."

"Isn't."

"Is."

"ISN'T"

"IS!"

"ISN'T!"

"IS!"

"ISN'T!"

"WILL YOU TWO SHUT UP!" said Lily loudly.

**: But five o'clock came and went. Uncle Vernon, perspiring slightly in his suit, **

"Urgh, does this J. K. Rowling person have to keep giving us these disgusting details?" asked Lily, screwing up her face.

**: opened the front door, peered up and down the street, then withdrew his head quickly. **

"It would have been funny if someone had shut the door in his head," said Sirius.

**: "They're late!" he snarled at Harry. **

"Hey! It's not his fault they're late, fatso!" snapped James.

**: "I know," said Harry. "Maybe - er - the traffic's bad or something." **

**  
: Ten past five ... then a quarter past five ... Harry was starting to feel anxious himself now. **

"Don't worry, they'll come and get you," said Lily.

**: At half past, he heard Uncle Vernon and Aunt Petunia conversing in terse mutters in the living room. **

Lily rolled her eyes.

**: "No consideration at all." **

**  
: "We might have had an engagement." **

"They probably know that no one in their right minds would go anywhere with you!" snarled Remus.

**: "Maybe they think they'll get invited to dinner if they're late." **

**  
: "Well, they most certainly won't be," said Uncle Vernon, and Harry heard him stand up and start pacing the living room. "They'll take the boy and go, there'll be no hanging around. **

"FOR THE LAST TIME! HIS - NAME - IS - HARRY!" shouted James, going red.

**: That's if they're coming at all. Probably mistaken the day. I daresay _their_ kind don't set much on punctuality. Either that or they drive some tin-pot car that's broken d-AAAAAAAARRRRRGH!" **

"That's not a word," said Sirius.

"Oh, I hope they've Apparated on his head or something," said James.

**: Harry jumped up. From the other side of the living-room door came the sounds of the three Dursleys scrambling, panic-stricken, across the room. Next moment Dudley came flying into the hall, looking terrified. **

**  
: "What happened?" said Harry. "What's the matter?" **

**  
: But Dudley didn't seem able to speak. Hands still clamped over his buttocks, he waddles as fast as he could into the kitchen. Harry hurried into the living room. **

**  
: Loud bangings and scrapings were coming from behind the Dursleys' boarded-up fireplace, which had a fake coal fire plugged in front of it. **

"Oh, yes," said James, a broad grin spreading across his face. "Brilliant!"

**: "What is it?" gasped Aunt Petunia, who had backed into the wall and was staring, terrified, towards the fire. "What is it, Vernon?" **

"Ha HA!" cried James and Sirius together.

"Excellent, they actually have tried to use Floo powder!" said Remus, through rounds of chortling.

**: But they were left in doubt barely a second longer. Voices could be heard from inside the blocked fireplace.   
**

**: "Ouch! Fred, no - go back, go back, there's been some kind of mistake - tell George not to - OUCH! George, no, there's no room, go back quickly and tell Ron -" **

**  
: "Maybe Harry can hear us, Dad - maybe he'll be able to let us out -" **

**  
: There was a loud hammering of fists on the boards behind the electric fire. **

**  
: "Harry? Harry, can you hear us?" **

**  
: The Dursleys rounded on Harry like a pair of angry wolverines. **

**  
: "What is this?" growled Uncle Vernon. "What's going on?" **

**  
: "They - they've tried to get here by Floo powder," said Harry, fighting a mad desire to laugh. **

Though those reading this were already on the floor with laughter, clutching their sides, and tears streaming down their faces.

**: "They can travel by fire - only you've blocked the fireplace - hang on -" **

**  
: He approached the fireplace and called through the boards. **

**: "Mr Weasley? Can you hear me?" **

**  
: The hammering stopped. Somebody inside the chimney-piece said, "Shh!" **

**  
: "Mr Weasley, it's Harry ... the fireplace has been blocked up. You won't be able to get through there." **

**  
: "Damn!" said Mr Weasley's voice. "What on earth did they want to block the fireplace for?" **

**  
: "They've got an electric fire," Harry explained. **

**  
: "Really?" said Mr Weasley's voice excitedly. "Ecklectic, you say? With a plug? **

They all chuckled again.

**: Gracious, I must see that ... let's think ... ouch, Ron!" **

**  
: Ron's voice now joined the others. **

**  
: "What are we doing here? Has something gone wrong?" **

**  
: Oh, no, Ron," came Fred's voice, very sarcastically. "No, this is exactly where we wanted to end up." **

**  
: "Yeah, we're having the time of our lives here," said George, whose voice sounded muffled, as though he was squashed against the wall. **

"Can those two be serious about anything?" asked Lily. 

"Speaking from experience of knowing a pair of idiots, probably not," said Remus.

James and Sirius looked rather flattered.

**: "Boys, boys ..." said Mr Weasley vaguely. "I'm trying to think what to do ... yes ... only way ... stand back, Harry." **

**  
: Harry retreated to the sofa. Uncle Vernon, however, moved forwards. **

"I hope he blasted the fireplace off the wall," said Sirius, grinning.

"So do I," said Lily. "Petunia would have a fit!"

**: "Wait a moment!" he bellowed at the fire. "What exactly are you going to -?" **

**  
: BANG. **

**  
: The electric fire shot across the room as the boarded-up fireplace burst outwards, expelling Mr Weasley, Fred, George and Ron in a clod of rubble and loose chippings.**

"Excellent," said Sirius.

**: Aunt Petunia shrieked and bell backwards over the coffee table; Uncle Vernon caught her before she hit the floor and gaped, speechless, as the Weasleys, all of whom had bright red hair, including Fred and George, who were identical to the last freckle. **

**  
: That's better," panted Mr Weasley, brushing dust from his long green roes and straightening his glasses. "Ah - you must be Harry's aunt and uncle!" **

"I wouldn't expect a cheery welcome from them," said Lily dully.

**: Tall, thin and balding, he moved towards Uncle Vernon, his hand outstretched, but Uncle Vernon backed away several paces, dragging Aunt Petunia. Words utterly failed Uncle Vernon. **

"Well, he's not the most intelligent of men," said James.

**: His best suit was covered in white dust, which had settled in his hair and moustache and made him look as though he had just aged thirty years. **

**  
: "Er - yes - sorry about that," said Mr Weasley, lowering his hand and looking over his shoulder at the blasted fireplace. "It's all my fault, it just didn't occur to me that we wouldn't be able to get out at the other end. I had your fireplace connected to the Floo Network, you see - just for an afternoon, you know, so we could get Harry. Muggle fireplaces aren't supposed to be connected, strictly speaking - but I've got a useful contact at the Floo Regulation Panel and he fixed it for me. I can put it right in a jiffy, though, don't worry. I'll light a fire to send the boys back, and then I can repair your fireplace before I Disapparate." **

"Who's gonna bet that he hasn't understood a word of that," said Lily.

"I'd bet my broomstick," said James.

**: Harry was ready to bet that Uncle Vernon hadn't understood a single word of this. They were still gaping at Mr Weasley, thunderstruck. Aunt Petunia staggered upright again, and hid behind Uncle Vernon. **

**  
: "Hello, Harry!" said Mr Weasley brightly. "Got your trunk ready?" **

**  
: "It's upstairs," said Harry grinning back. **

**  
: "We'll get it," said Fred at once. Winking at Harry, he and George left the room. **

"Why do I get the feeling that they're up to no good," said Lily.

"Because you're getting used to being around idiots like these two," answered Remus.

**: They knew where Harry's bedroom was, having once rescued him from it in the dead of night. Harry suspected that Fred and George were hoping for a glimpse of Dudley; they had heard a lot about him from Harry. **

Sirius was rubbing his hands together, a wicked grin played about his face.

**: "Well," said Mr Weasley, swinging his arms slightly, while he tried to find words to break the very nasty silence. "Very - erm - very nice place you've got here." **

"A dust ridden room, that'll please Petunia," said Lily, grinning.

**: As the usually spotless living room was now covered in dust and bits of brick, this remark didn't go down too well with the Dursleys. **

"Excellent," said James happily.

**: Uncle Vernon's face purpled once more, and Aunt Petunia started chewing her tongue again. However, they seemed too scared to actually say anything. **

**  
: Mr Weasley was looking around. He loved everything to do with Muggles. Harry could see him itching to go and examine the television and video recorder. **

They chuckled.

**: "They run off eckeltricity, do they?" he said knowledgeably. "Ah, yes, I can see the plugs. I collect plugs," he added to Uncle Vernon. "And batteries. Got a very large collection of batteries. My wife thinks I'm mad, but there you are." **

**  
: Uncle Vernon clearly thought Mr Weasley was mad, too. **

"Well, any guy who collects plugs ..." muttered Sirius.

**: He moved ever so slightly to the right, screening Aunt Petunia from view, as though he thought Mr Weasley might suddenly run at them and attack. **

**  
: Dudley suddenly reappeared in the room. Harry could hear the clunk of his trunk of the stairs, and knew that the sounds had scared Dudley out of the kitchen. Dudley edged along the wall, gazing at Mr Weasley with terrified eyes, and attempted to conceal himself behind his mother and father. **

"Nothing could hide that great lump, other than a great whale!" snarled James.

**: Uncle Vernon's bulk, while sufficient to hide Aunt Petunia, was nowhere near enough to conceal Dudley. **

**  
: "Ah, this is your cousin, is it, Harry?" said Mr Weasley, taking another brave stab at conversation. **

**  
: "Yep," said Harry, "that's Dudley.": He and Ron exchanged glanced then quickly looked away from each other; the temptation to burst out laughing was almost overwhelming. **

"Just burst out laughing, then those idiots will see how stupid they really are!" said Sirius.

**: Dudley was still clutching his bottom as though afraid it might fall off. Mr Weasley, however, seemed genuinely concerned at Dudley's peculiar behaviour. Indeed, from the tone of his voice when he next spoke, Harry was quite sure that Mr Weasley thought Dudley was quite as mad as the Dursleys thought he was, except that Mr Weasley felt sympathy rather then fear. **

**  
: "Having a good holiday, Dudley?" he said kindly. **

**  
: Dudley whimpered. Harry saw his hands tighten still harder over his massive backside. **

They all burst out laughing.

**: Fred and George came back into the room, carrying Harry's school trunk. They glanced around as they entered and spotted Dudley. Their faces cracked into identical, evil grins. **

They all grinned in the same way.

Sirius and James rubbed their hands together, as though they were expecting a real treat.

**: "Ah, right," said Mr Weasley. "Better get cracking, then." **

**  
: He pushed up the sleeves of his robes and took out his wand. Harry saw the Dursleys draw back against the wall as one. **

**  
: "_Incendio!" _said Mr Weasley, pointing his wand at the hole in the wall behind him.   
**

**: Flame rose at once in the fireplace, crackling merrily as though they had been burning for hours. Mr Weasley took a small drawstring bag from his pocket, untied it, took a pinch of the powder inside and threw it onto the flames, which turned emerald green and roared higher then ever. **

**  
: "Off you go then, Fred," said Mr Weasley. **

**  
: "Coming," said Fred. "Oh no - hang on -" **

**  
: A bag of sweets had spilled out of Fred's pocket and the contents were now rolling in every direction - big, fat toffees in brightly coloured wrappers. **

James and Sirius grinned at each other.

"Are you thinking what I'm thinking?" asked Sirius.

"I hope so," said James. 

"You two are so predictable," said Remus, but he was smiling at them, clearly looking forward to what Fred and George had up their sleeves.

**: Fred scrambled around, cramming them back into his pocket, then gave the Dursleys a cheery wave, stepped forward and walked right into the fire, saying, "The Burrow!" Aunt Petunia gave a little shuddering gasp. There was a whooshing sound, and Fred vanished.   
**

**: "Right then, George," said Mr Weasley, "you and the trunk." **

**  
: Harry helped George carry the trunk forward into the flames, and turn it onto its end so that he could hold it better. Then, with a second whoosh, George had cried, "The Burrow!" and vanished too. **

"Nothing yet," said Sirius, sounding slightly impatient.

"Just because you can't wait for the good stuff, doesn't mean we all have to put up with your complaining!" said Lily.

**: "Ron, you next," said Mr Weasley. **

**  
: "See you," said Ron brightly to the Dursleys. He grinned broadly at Harry, then stepped into the fire, shouted, "The Burrow!" and disappeared. **

**  
: Now Harry and Mr Weasley alone remained. **

"Excellent," said James happily. "He'll be out of there within minutes and we'll get to hear all about the Quidditch World Cup!"

**: "Well ... bye then," Harry said to the Dursleys. **

**  
: They didn't say anything at all. **

"Well, we didn't really expect them to," said Remus.

Lily and James were both grinding their teeth.

**: Harry moved towards the fire, but just as he reached the edge of the hearth, Mr Weasley put out a hand and held him back. He was looking at the Dursleys in amazement. **

"Yes, it's hard to believe that Harry's related to a load of stupid fools," said Lily scathingly.

**: "Harry said goodbye to you," he said. "Didn't you hear him?"   
**

**: "It doesn't matter," Harry muttered to Mr Weasley. "Honestly, I don't care." **

**  
: Mr Weasley did not remove his hand from Harry's shoulder. **

**  
: "You aren't going to see your nephew 'til next summer," he said to Uncle Vernon in mild indignation. "Surely you are going to say goodbye?" **

"They haven't to this day," said Lily.

"Being told what to do by a wizard who's just blown half his house up," said Sirius. "I like it!"

**: Uncle Vernon's face worked furiously. The idea of being taught consideration by a man who had just blasted away half his living-room wall seemed to be causing him intense suffering. **

"Excellent, he might blow up!" said Sirius hopefully.

**: But Mr Weasley's wand was still in his hand, and Uncle Vernon's tiny eyes darted to it at once, before he said, very resentfully, "Goodbye, then." **

"Ha, ha, ha-ha, ha!" said James, in a childish manner.

**: "See you," said Harry, putting one foot forward into the green flames, which felt pleasantly like warm breath. At that moment, however, a horrible gagging sound erupted behind him, and Aunt Petunia started to scream. **

"He's blowing up!" said Sirius triumphantly. "WOO HOO!"

**: Harry wheeled around. Dudley was no longer standing behind his parents. He was kneeling beside the coffee table, and he was gagging and spluttering on a foot-long, purple, slimy thing that was protruding from his mouth. **

"Fred and George, where would modern mischief be without them?" said Sirius solemnly.

James was too busy laughing to add any comment.

**: One bewildered second later, Harry realised that that foot-long thin was Dudley's tongue - and that a brightly coloured toffee-wrapper lay on the floor before him. **

James started laughing harder, tears streaming down his cheeks.

"A fat tongue to go with the rest of him," said Remus, wiping his eyes.

**: Aunt Petunia hurled herself onto the ground beside Dudley, seized the end of his swollen tongue and attempted to wrench it out of his mouth; **

"Well, that's gonna do him good, isn't it," said Lily as though she was talking to someone dim-witted.

"No, no, please, pull his tongue out - then he'll not be so nasty to Harry!" snarled James.

**: unsurprisingly, Dudley yelled and spluttered worse than ever, trying to fight her off. Uncle Vernon was bellowing and waving his arms around, **

They all rolled round with laughter.

**: and Mr Weasley had to shout to make himself heard. **

**  
: "Not to worry, I can sort him out!" he yelled, advancing on Dudley with his wand outstretched, but Aunt Petunia screamed worse than ever and threw herself on top of Dudley, shielding him from Mr Weasley. **

**  
: "No, really!" said Mr Weasley desperately. "It's a simple process - it was the toffee - my son Fred - real practical joker - but it's only an Engorgement Charm - at least, I think it is - please, I can correct it -" **

"Awww ... do you have to ... it's funny!" said Sirius.

**: But far from being reassured, the Dursleys became more panic-stricken; **

"They're complete babies!" snarled Lily, putting her hands on her hips. "You'd think they'd act like normal adults since they aspire to be ones!"

**: Aunt Petunia was sobbing hysterically, tugging Dudley's tongue as though determined to rip it out; Dudley appeared to be suffocating under the combined pressure of his mother and his tongue, and Uncle Vernon, who had lost control completely, **

"Is he ever in control of anything?" asked Remus.

**: seized a china figure from on top of the side-board, and threw it very hard at Mr Weasley, who ducked, causing the ornament to shatter in the blasted fireplace. **

"If any part of that hit Harry, I'll have you," growled James threateningly.

**: "Now really!" said Mr Weasley, angrily, brandishing his wand. "I'm trying to help!" **

"Yes, but he's not going to listen to you," said Lily. "They're all ignorant of the fact that we're humans like them."

**: Bellowing like a wounded hippo, Uncle Vernon snatched up another ornament. **

**  
: Harry, go! Just go!" Mr Weasley shouted, his wand on Uncle Vernon. "I'll sort this out!"   
**

**: Harry didn't want to miss the fun, but Uncle Vernon's second ornament narrowly missed his left ear, and on balance he thought it best to leave the situation to Mr Weasley. **

"That's right, Harry. You get out of that horrible place," said lily.

"Aww," the others said.

**: He stepped into the fire, looking over his shoulder as he said, "The Burrow!"; his last fleeting glimpse of the living room was of Mr Weasley blasting a third ornament out of Uncle Vernon's hand with his wand, Aunt Petunia screaming and lying on top of Dudley, and Dudley's tongue rolling around like a great slimy python. **

"Urgh," they all grimaced.

**: But next moment Harry had begun to spin very fast, and the Dursleys' living room was whipped out of sight in a rush of emerald green flames. **

"That's the end of the chapter," said Remus, holding out the book.

Lily took it off him.

"Fantastic way to leave ... if I ever meet Fred and George, I'm gonna give them such a hand-shake!" said James, his eyes bright with excitement.

"Damn straight!" said Sirius.


	5. Chapter 5

**Disclaimer: Not mine.**

**A/N: So sorry! My PC is down and it might be a while till I update again.**

**Beta: loonygrl90**

**CHAPTER FIVE**

: WEASLEY'S WIZARD WHEEZES"Why do I have a feeling that this is more trouble from Fred and George?" asked Lily.

"Because we love them and their antics," said James.**: Harry spun faster and faster, elbows tucked tightly to his sides, blurred fireplaces flashing past him, until he started to feel sick and closed his eyes. Then, when at last he felt himself slowing down, he threw out his hands, and brought himself to a halt in time to prevent himself falling face forwards out of the Weasleys' kitchen fire.**

: "Did he eat it?" said Fred excitedly, holding out a hand to pull Harry to his feet.  
  
Lily snorted as though she wasn't surprised at this comment.

James and Sirius exchanged grins.

**: "Yeah," said Harry, straightening up. "What _was_ it?"   
: "Ton-Tongue Toffee," said Fred brightly. "George and I invented them, we've been looking for someone to test them on all summer ..."   
**  
James started to chuckle.

**: The tiny kitchen exploded with laugher; Harry looked around and saw that Ron and George were sitting at the scrubbed wooden table with two red-haired people Harry had never seen before, though he knew immediately who they must be: Bill and Charlie, the two eldest Weasley brothers.  
**  
"Excellent!" said James happily. "Experienced pranksters!" 

"Not that Fred and George need any help," said Sirius.**: "How're you doing, Harry?" said the nearer of the two, grinning at him and holding out a large hand, which Harry shook, feeling calluses and blisters under his fingers. This had to be Charlie, who worked with dragons in Romania. Charlie was built like the twins, shorter and stockier than Percy and Ron, who were both long and lanky. He had a broad, good-natured face, which was weather-beaten and so freckly that he looked almost tanned; his arms were muscly, and one of them had a large, shiny burn on it.**

: Bill got to his feet, smiling and also shook Harry's hand."This is the Head Boy, isn't it?" said Sirius.

"I think so, what's wrong with that?" said Lily.

"Probably another version of Prefect Percy, then," he said in disgust.  
**  
: Bill came as something of a surprise. Harry knew that he worked for the wizarding bank, Gringotts, that he had been Head Boy of Hogwarts, and had always imagined Bill to be an older version of Percy; fussy about rule-breaking and fond of bossing everyone around. However, Bill was - there was no other word for it - _cool_.**

"You were saying, Sirius?" said James, smiling at him.

Remus had burst out laughing.

**: He was tall, with long hair that he had tied back in a ponytail. He was wearing an earring with what looked like a fang dangling from it. His clothes would not have looked out of place at a rock concert, except that Harry recognised his boots to be made, not of leather, but of dragon hide.  
**  
"Cool," they all chorused enviously.  
**   
: Before any of them could say anything else, there was a faint popping noise, and Mr Weasley appeared out of thin air at George's shoulder. He was looking angrier than Harry had ever seen him.**

: "That _wasn't funny_, Fred!" he shouted. "What on earth did you give that Muggle boy?"

: "I didn't give him anything," said Fred, with another evil grin. "I just _dropped_ it ... it was his fault he went and ate it, I never told him to."

: "You dropped it on purpose!" roared Mr Weasley. "You knew he'd eat it, you knew he was on a diet -" 

: "How big did his tongue get?" George asked eagerly.

: "It was four foot long before his parents would let me shrink it!" They all roared with laughter.**: Harry and the Weasleys roared with laughter again.**

: "It _isn't funny_!" Mr Weasley shouted. "That sort of behaviour seriously undermines wizard-Muggle relations! I spend half my life campaigning against the mistreatment of Muggles, and my own sons -" 

: "We didn't give it to him because he was a Muggle!" said Fred indignantly.

: "No, we gave it to him because he's a great bullying git," said George. "Isn't he, Harry?" "Damn straight!" said James.**: "Yeah, he is, Mr Weasley," said Harry earnestly.**

: "That's not the point!" raged Mr Weasley. "You wait until I tell your mother -" 

: "Tell me what?" said a voice behind them.

: Mrs Weasley had just entered the kitchen. She was a short, plump woman with a very kind face, though her eyes were presently narrowed with suspicion.

: "Oh, hello, Harry dear," she said, spotting him and smiling. Then her eyes snapped back to her husband. "Tell me _what_, Arthur?"

: Mr Weasley hesitated. Harry could tell that, however angry he was with Fred and George, he hadn't really intended to tell Mrs Weasley what had happened. There was a silence, while Mr Weasley eyed his wife nervously. Then two girls appeared in the kitchen doorway behind Mrs Weasley. One, with very bushy brown hair and rather large front teeth, was Harry and Ron's friend, Hermione Granger. The other, who was small and red-haired, was Ron's younger sister, Ginny. Both of them smiled at Harry, who grinned back, which made Ginny go scarlet - she had been very taken with Harry ever since his first visit to The Burrow.

"Awww," cooed Lily.

"Ugh," said the boys in disgust.

**: "Tell me _what_, Arthur?" Mrs Weasley repeated, in a dangerous sort of voice.**

: "It's nothing, Molly," mumbled Mr Weasley, "Fred and George just - but I've had words with them - "

: "What have they done this time?" said Mrs Weasley. "If it's got anything to do with _Weasleys' Wizard Wheezes_ -" 

: "Why don't you show Harry where he's sleeping, Ron?" said Hermione from the doorway.

: "He knows where he's sleeping," said Ron. "In my room, he slept there last -" 

: "We can all go," said Hermione, pointedly."Good thinking," said James. "As much fun as it is to listen to someone else getting told off, for a change, I'd rather get moving onto the Quidditch part of the book." 

**: "Oh," said Ron, cottoning on. "Right." **

: "Yeah, we'll come too," said George.: "_You stay where you are_!" snarled Mrs Weasley.

: Harry and Ron edged out of the kitchen, and they, Hermione and Ginny set off along the narrow hallway and up the rickety staircase that zig-zagged through the house to the upper storeys.

:"What are Weasleys' Wizard Wheezes?" Harry asked as they climbed.

: Ron and Ginny both laughed, although Hermione didn't.

: "Mum found this stack of order forms when she was cleaning Fred and George's room," said Ron quietly. "Great long price-lists for stuff they've invented. Joke stuff, you know. Fake wands and trick sweets, loads of stuff. It was brilliant, I never knew they'd been inventing all that ..."

: "We've been hearing explosions out of their room for ages, but we never thought they were actually _making_ things," said Ginny. "We thought they just liked the noise."

"Never underestimate explosions from a pranksters lair," said Sirius knowledgeably.

"Damn straight!" said James.**: "Only, most of the stuff - well, all of it, really - was a bit dangerous," said Ron, "and, you know, they were planning to sell it at Hogwarts to make some money, and Mum went mad at them. Told them they weren't allowed to make any more of it, and burnt all the order forms ... she's furious at them anyway. They didn't get as many O.W.Ls as she expected."**

: O.W.Ls were Ordinary Wizarding Levels, the examinations Hogwarts students took at the age of fifteen.

: "And then there was this big row," Ginny said, "because Mum wants them to go into the Ministry of Magic like Dad, and they told her all they wanted to do is open a joke-shop."

"Brilliant! They'd have to make sure their stock was mega high before they opened - kids'll be in there buying their stuff instantly!" said Sirius. "I'd be their number one customer!"

**: Just then, a door on the second landing opened, and a face poked out wearing horn-rimmed glasses and a very annoyed expression.**

: "Hi, Percy," said Harry.  
  
Sirius scowled.**: "Oh, hello, Harry," said Percy. "I was wondering who was making all the noise.**

"They were just talking whilst walking up the stairs!" said James heatedly.

**: I'm trying to work in here, you know - I've got a report to finish for the office - and it's rather difficult to concentrate when people keep thundering up and down the stairs."**

: "We're not _thundering_," said Ron irritably. "We're walking. Sorry if we've disturbed the top-secret workings of the Ministry of Magic."

: "What are you working on?" said Harry.  
  
"Who cares," said Sirius.

"Yeah, exactly, why did you ask that, Harry, we're gonna have to listen to his answer now!" said James.

"Has it occured to you two that Harry might just be being polite?" asked Lily.

"No," they both said.

**: "A report for the Department of International Magical Co-operation," said Percy smugly. "We're trying to standardise cauldron thickness. Some of these foreign imports are just a shade too thin - leakages have been increasing at a rate of almost three per cent a year -" **James and Sirius looked at each other, bewildered, and then burst out laughing.

**: "That'll change the world, that report will," said Ron. "Front page of the _Daily Prophet_, I expect, cauldron leaks."**

: Percy went slightly pink.

: "You might sneer, Ron," he said heatedly,  
  
"What do you mean, 'might', he just has, hasn't he?" said Remus.

"And I'm sure there will be many more sneers coming his way!" added Sirius.

**: "but unless some sort of international law is imposed we might well find the market flooded with flimsy, shallow-bottomed products which seriously endanger -" **

: Yeah, yeah, all right," said Ron, and he started off upstairs again. Percy slammed his bedroom door shut. As Harry, Hermione and Ginny followed Ron up three more flights of stairs, shouts from the kitchen below echoed up to them. It sounded as though Mr Weasley had told Mrs Weasley about the toffees.  
  
"Never mind," said Sirius.

"What defeats the strength and will of a man?" said James. "Falling in love with a woman."

Lily went pink.

**: The room at the top of the house where Ron slept looked much as it had done the last time Harry had come to stay; the same posters of Ron's favourite Quidditch team, the Chudley Cannons, were whirling and waving on the walls and sloping ceiling, and the fish tank on the window-sill which had previously held frog-spawn now contained one extremely large frog. Ron's old rat, Scabbers, was here no more, **"Well, no he wouldn't be, since the coward has run off to Voldemort!" snarled Sirius.

**: but instead there was the tiny grey owl that had delivered Ron's letter to Harry in Privet Drive. It was hopping up and down in a small cage, twittering madly.**

: "Shut _up_, Pig," said Ron, edging his way between two of the four beds that had been squeezed into the room. "Fred and George are in here with us, because Bill and Charlie are in their room," he told Harry. "Percy gets to keep his room all to himself because he's got to _work_."

"If you call a report on standardising cauldron bottoms resourceful work," muttered Remus.

**: "Er - why are you calling that owl Pig?" Harry asked Ron.**

: Because he's being stupid," said Ginny. "Its proper name is Pigwidgeon."  
  
"What and that's _not_ stupid?" said Sirius sarcastically.

"I think it's cute," cooed Lily.

**: "Yeah, and that's not a stupid name at all," said Ron sarcastically. "Ginny named him," he explained to Harry. "She reckons it's sweet. And I tried to change it, but it was too late, he won't answer to anything else. So now he's Pig. I've got to keep him up here because he annoys Errol and Hermes. He annoys me, too, come to that." **

: Pigwidgeon zoomed happily around his cage, hooting shrilly. Harry knew Ron too well to take him seriously. He had moaned continually about his old rat Scabbers, but had been most upset when Hermione's cat, Crookshanks, appeared to have eaten him.

"I wish he did eat him," muttered Sirius.

James looked at him sternly.

**: "Where's Crookshanks?" Harry asked Hermione now.**

: "Out in the garden, I expect," she said. "He likes chasing gnomes, he's never seen any before." 

: "Percy's enjoying work, then?" said Harry, sitting down on one of the beds and watching the Chudley Cannons zooming in and out of the posters on the ceiling.  
  
"Why do you want to know about the boring life of Percy Weasley?" asked Sirius. "He'll probably be talking about it over dinner!"

**: "Enjoying it?" said Ron darkly. "I don't reckon he'd come home if Dad didn't make him. He's obsessed. Just don't get him onto the subject of his boss. _According to Mr Crouch ... as I was saying to Mr Crouch ... Mr Crouch is of the opinion ... Mr Crouch was telling me ..._ They'll be announcing their engagement any day now." **They all chuckled, though Sirius had a sickened look on his face that anyone could be that serious about work.

**: "Have you had a good summer, Harry?" said Hermione. "Did you get our food parcels and everything?" **

: "Yeah, thanks a lot," said Harry. "They saved my life, those cakes." 

: "And have you heard from -?" Ron began, but at a look from Hermione he fell silent. Harry knew he had been about to ask about Sirius.  
  
"Hey! Why did you stop!" asked Sirius, sounding highly affronted.

"Because Ginny's there, you fool, they're not about to talk about you in front of her - she doesn't know you're innocent!" said James.**: Ron and Hermione had been so deeply involved in helping Sirius escape from the Ministry of Magic that they were almost as concerned about Harry's godfather as he was.  
**  
"Aww," said Sirius gratefully.

**: However, discussing him in front of Ginny was a bad idea. Nobody but themselves and Professor Dumbledore knew about how Sirius escaped, or believed his innocence.**

: "I think they've stopped arguing," said Hermione, to cover that awkward moment because Ginny was looking curiously from Ron to Harry. "Shall we go down and help your mum with dinner?"

: "Yeah, all right," said Ron. The four of them left Ron's room and went back downstairs, to find Mrs Weasley alone in the kitchen, looking extremely bad-tempered.

: "We're eating out in the garden," she said when they came in. "There's just no room for eleven people in here. Could you take the plates outside, girls? Bill and Charlie are setting up the tables. Knives and forks, please, you two," she said to Ron and Harry, pointing her wand a little more vigorously than she had intended at a pile of potatoes in the sink, which shot out of their skins so fast that they ricocheted off the walls and ceilings."Hmm, funny, Mum does that too, when I've been told off," muttered James.

**: "Oh, for heaven's _sake_," she snapped, now directing her wand at a dustpan, which hopped off the side and started skating across the floor, scooping up the potatoes. "Those two!" she burst out savagely, now pulling pots and pans out of a cupboard, and Harry knew she meant Fred and George. "I don't know what's going to happen to them, I really don't. No ambition, unless you count making as much trouble as they possibly can ..."   
**  
"I thought someone said they wanted to open a joke shop - that's an ambition of setting up their own business," said Remus.

"Yeah, but if it fails, they have nothing to fall back on," said Lily.

"I doubt they'd fail in the area of joke-making," said Sirius.

**: She slammed a large copper saucepan down on the kitchen table and began to wave her wand around inside it. A creamy sauce poured from the wand tip as she stirred.**

: "It's not as though they haven't got brains," she continued irritably, taking the saucepan over to the stove and lighting it with a further poke of her wand, "but they're wasting them, and unless they pull themselves together soon, they'll be in real trouble. I've had more owls from Hogwarts about them then the rest put together. If they carry on the way they're going, they'll end up in front of the Improper Use of Magic Office." "So to sum up, Mrs Weasley's not very happy with the twins at the moment," said James lightly.

**: Mrs Weasley jabbed her wand at the cutlery drawer, which shot open. Harry and Ron both jumped out of the way as several knives soared out of it, flew across the kitchen and began chopping the potatoes, which had just been tipped back into the sink by the dustpan.**

: "I don't know where we went wrong with them," said Mr Weasley, "Wrong? Nothing's wrong with them,. they've just got different ideas of what they want to do with their lives than what you do," said James. "You can't choose it for them, you know."

**: putting down her wand and starting to pull out still more saucepans. "It's been the same for years, one thing after another, and they won't listen to - OH, NOT _AGAIN_!"**

: She had picked up her wand from the table, and it had emitted a loud squeak and turned into a giant rubber mouse.  
  
The boys all burst out laughing.

"I want one," said Sirius. "Imagine McGonagall's face if we replaced her wand with one of those!"

**: "One of their fake wands again!" she shouted. "How many times have I told those two not to leave them lying around?" **"Loads, probably. But that's probably why they leave them around anyways," said Sirius lightly.

Lily rolled her eyes.  
**  
: She grabbed her real wand and turned around to find that the sauce on the stove was smoking.**

"She needs to calm down a bit or she'll set the kitchen on fire," said Remus worriedly.

**: "C'mon," Ron said hurriedly to Harry, seizing a handful of cutlery from the open drawer, "let's go and help Bill and Charlie."**

: They left Mrs Weasley, and headed out of the back door into the yard.

: They had only gone a few paces when Hermione's bandy-legged, ginger cat Crookshanks came pelting out of the garden, bottle-brush tail held high in the air, chasing what looked like a muddy potato on legs. Harry recognised it instantly as a gnome. Barely ten inches tall, its horny little feet pattered very fast as it sprinted across the yard and dived headlong into one of the wellington boots that lay scattered around the door. Harry could hear it giggling madly as Crookshanks inserted a paw into the boot, trying to reach it.

"Those things are little gits," said James darkly.

**: Meanwhile, a very loud crashing noise was coming from the other side of the house. The source of the commotion was revealed as they entered the garden and saw that Bill and Charlie both had their wands out, and were making two battered old tables fly high above the lawn, smashing into each other, each attempting to knock the other's out of the air.**

"Cool!" said James and Sirius together.

"When we leave Hogwarts, that has to be one of the first things we do - have a table fight!" said James enthusiastically.

"Damn straight!"

**: Fred and George were cheering; Ginny was laughing, and Hermione was hovering near the hedge, apparently torn between amusement and anxiety.**

: Bill's table caught Charlie's with a huge bang, and knocked one of its legs off. There was a clatter from overhead, and they all looked up to see Percy's head poking out of a window on the second floor.

: "Will you keep it down?" he bellowed.

: "Sorry, Perce," said Bill, grinning. "How're the cauldron bottoms coming on?"

: "Very badly," said Percy peevishly, and he slammed the window shut again. Chuckling, Bill and Charlie directed the tables safely onto the grass, end to end, and then, with a flick of his wand, Bill reattached the table leg, and conjured tablecloths from nowhere.

: By seven o'clock, the two tables were groaning under dishes and dishes of Mrs Weasley's excellent cooking, and the nine Weasleys, Harry and Hermione were settling themselves down to eat beneath a clear, deep-blue sky. To somebody who had been living on meals of increasingly stale cake all summer, this was paradise, and at first, Harry listened rather than talked, as he helped himself to chicken-and-ham pie, boiled potatoes and salad.

"Hmmm," groaned Sirius, massaging his stomach.

"You can't be hungry," said Lily disbelievingly. "It's not been long since breakfast!"

"Trust me, Sirius could eat for Britain if he wanted to," said James, handing him his sweetie jar, which Sirius indulged in at once.

**: At the far end of the table, Percy was telling his father all about his report on cauldron bottoms.**

"I bet that's stimulating conversation," muttered Remus sarcastically.

**: "I've told Mr Crouch that I'll have it ready by Tuesday," Percy was saying pompously. "That's a bit sooner than he expected it, but I like to keep on top of things. I think he'll be grateful I've done it in good time.**

"Boring!" said Sirius loudly, and he then started pretending to snore.

**: I mean, it's extremely busy in out department just now, what with all the arrangements of the World Cup. We're just not getting the support we need from the Department of Magical Games and Sports. Ludo Bagman -"   
**  
"Ludo Bagman? Ludo Bagman works for the Ministry of Magic?" said James in an awed voice.

"He must do - he'll be too old for Quidditch there," said Sirius.

"Who's Ludo Bagman?" asked Lily.

James looked at her as though he had never seen her before. "Who's Ludo Bagman? Have you just asked me,_ 'Who's Ludo Bagman?_' Oh. My. God. He's only one of the world's greatest Beaters!"

"So he's a Quidditch player," said Lily.

"Intelligence is a grand thing," said Sirius sarcastically.

Lily stuck her tongue out at him, and Sirius did it back to her.

**: "I like Ludo," said Mr Weasley mildly. "He was the one who got us such good tickets for the Cup. I did him a bit of a favour: his brother, Otto, got into a spot of trouble - a lawnmower with unnatural powers - I smoothed the whole thing over." **

: "Oh, Bagman's _likeable_ enough, of course," said Percy dismissively,

"Likeable? He's a legend!" cried James.

**: "but how he ever got to be Head of Department ... when I compare him to Mr Crouch! I can't see Mr Crouch losing a member of our department and not trying to find out what's happened to them. You realise Bertha Jorkins has been missing for over a month now? Went on holiday to Albania and never came back?"  
**  
They all changed dark and worried looks.

"Isn't she the woman from Harry's dream - the woman they said they'd killed?" said Lily tensely.

"I think so - and if they tortured her for information, that must be one of the ways they found out about the cup," said Sirius.

"Makes sense as well that Voldemort found her, I'm sure I remember Dumbledore saying in one of the earlier books that Voldemort's current hiding place was in Albania," said James.

The all looked at each other again, but said nothing further.

**: "Yes, I was asking Ludo about that," said Mr Weasley, frowning. "He says Bertha's got lost plenty of times before now - though, I must say, if it was someone in my department, I'd be worried ..."**

: "Oh, Bertha's _hopeless_, all right," said Percy. "I hear she's been shunted from department to department for years, much more trouble than she's worth ... but all the same, Bagman ought to be trying to find her. Mr Crouch has been taking a personal interest - she worked in our department at one time, you know, and I think Mr Crouch was quite fond of her - but Bagman just keeps laughing and saying she probably misread the map and ended up in Australia instead of Albania.

"Doesn't sound like that gossipy idiot we know," said James. "They're making it sound like she's got a hopeless memory or something, when it's fantastic - all the stuff she remembers about people!"

"Tell me about it," muttered Lily stonily.

**: However," Percy heaved an impressive sigh, and took a deep swig of elderflower wine, " we've got quite enough on our plates at the Department of International Magical Co-operation without trying to find members of other departments too. As you know, we've got another big event to organise right after the World Cup."**

: He cleared his throat significantly and looked down towards the end of the table where Harry, Ron and Hermione were sitting. "_You_ know the one I'm talking about, Father." He raised his voice slightly. "The top-secret one." 

"So he wants them to ask him about it - make it less obvious why don't you," muttered Lily, sarcastically.

**: Ron rolled his eyes and muttered to Harry and Hermione, "He's been trying to get us to ask what that event is ever since he started work. Probably an exhibition of thick-bottomed cauldrons."**

"Probably," they all muttered dully.

**: In the middle of the table, Mrs Weasley was arguing with Bill about his earring, which seemed to be a recent acquisition.**

: "... with a horrible great fang on it, really, Bill, what do they say at the bank?"

: "Mum, no one at the bank gives a damn how I dress as long as I bring home plenty of treasure," said Bill patiently.

: "And your hair's getting silly, dear," said Mrs Weasley, fingering her wand lovingly. "I wish you'd let me give it a trim ..."

: "I like it," said Ginny, who was sitting beside Bill. "You're so old-fashioned, Mum. Anyway, it's nowhere near as long as Professor Dumbledore's ..."

"True - what is it with mother's and hair?" asked James. "My Mum's always harping on at me to let her trim my hair as well - I can't help it if it grows like this!"

"Awww, your hair's fine the way it is," said Lily.

James looked impressed at this, and smiled brightly.

**: Next to Mrs Weasley, Fred, George and Charlie were all talking spiritedly about the World Cup.  
**  
"Now this is more like it," said Sirius.

"_Finally_! A decent conversation to listen to!" said James.

**: "It's got to be Ireland," said Charlie thickly, through a mouthful of potato. "They flattened Peru in the semi-finals."**

: "Bulgaria has got Viktor Krum, though," said Fred.

: "Krum's one decent player, Ireland has got seven," said Charlie shortly.  
  
"Ireland have always been good, though," said James. "England must have become crap without Bagman."  
**  
: "I wish England had got through, though. That was embarrassing, that was."**

: "What happened?" said Harry eagerly, regretting more than ever his isolation from the wizarding world when he was stuck in Privet Drive. Harry was passionate about Quidditch. He had played as Seeker on the Gryffindor house Quidditch team ever since his first year at Hogwarts and owned a Firebolt, one of the best racing brooms in the world.

"Damn straight!" said James. "Thanks Sirius, mate!"

"Not at all," said Sirius, grinning.

** "Went down to Transylvania, three hundred and ninety to ten," said Charlie gloomily.**

"WHAT!" boomed James. "THAT'S BLOODY OUTRAGEOUS RESULTS! WERE THEY ASLEEP OR SOMETHING?"

**: "Shocking performance. And Wales lost to Uganda, and Scotland were slaughtered by Luxembourg." **"Goddamned Transylvania," muttered James under his breath.

Remus smiled at his friend. In some ways, James will never change, he thought.

**: Mr Weasley conjured up candles to light the darkening garden before they had their pudding (home-made strawberry ice-cream),**Sirius made longing sounds and reached for James' sweetie jar again.**: and by the time they had finished, moths were fluttering low over the table and the warm air was perfumed with the smells of grass and honeysuckle.**Lily breathed deeply in and out as though she were at peace.  
**   
: Harry was feeling extremely well fed and at peace with the world as he watched several gnomes sprinting through the rose bushes, laughing madly and closely pursued by Crookshanks. **"You'd've thought the cat would've given up on them by now," said Sirius.

"You wouldn't, as human or dog," said Remus.

**: Ron looked carefully up the table to check that the rest of the family were all busy talking, then he said very quietly to Harry. "So - _have_ you heard from Sirius lately?"**

: Hermione looked round, listening closely.

: "Yeah," said Harry softly, "twice. He sounds OK. I wrote to him the day before yesterday. He might write back while I'm here."

: He suddenly remembered the reason he had written to Sirius and, for a moment, was on the verge of telling Ron and Hermione about his scar hurting again, and about the dream which had awoken him ... but he really didn't want to worry them just now, not when he himself was feeling so happy and peaceful.

Lily looked slightly uneasy. "Well, as long as you tell them at some point, Harry. You'll feel a lot better if you tell someone."

**: "Look at the time," Mrs Weasley said suddenly, checking her wristwatch. "You really should be in bed, the whole lot of you, you'll be up at the crack of dawn to get to the Cup.**

James' eyes lit up. "Yes, Harry, you get to bed and have a good night sleep. You'll want to be wide awake for the match!"

**: Harry, if you leave your school list out, I'll get your things for you tomorrow in Diagon Alley. I'm getting everyone else's. There might not be time after the World Cup, the match went on for five days last time."**"Whoa!" said James and Sirius enthusiastically.

Remus whistled impressively.

**: "Wow - I hope it does this time!" said Harry enthusiastically.**

: "Well, I certainly don't," said Percy sanctimoniously.  
  
"What a surprise," muttered James.

"What? Worried you might actually have some fun?" said Remus.

Sirius laughed.

**: "I _shudder_ to think what the state of my in-tray would be if I was away from work for five days."**

"Workaholic," they all muttered.

"Won't have a girlfriend for the rest of his life," muttered Sirius.

**: "Yeah, someone might slip dragon dung in it again, eh, Perce?" said Fred.**

: "That was a sample of fertiliser from Norway!" said Percy going very red in the face.  
  
"Yeah, right," they all muttered.

**: "It was nothing _personal_!"**

: "It was," Fred whispered to Harry, as they got up from the table. "We sent it."

They all burst out laughing.

"Why would they do that?" asked Lily.

"Who cares - it was funny!" said Sirius, roaring with laughter again.

"That's the end of the chapter," she said, holding out the book.

James took it.


	6. Chapter 6

**Disclaimer: Still not mine.**

**A/N: So sorry about the delays but my pc is still broken. Here's a couple of more chapters!**

**Beta: loonygrl90**

**CHAPTER SIX  
**

**: THE PORTKEY**

"Oooh, a PORTKEY, wow," said Sirius sarcastically.

"Shut up, Black!" snapped Lily.

"Yeah, shut up, Sirius. It'll just be how they're getting to the match," said Remus.

**: Harry felt as though he had barely lain down to sleep in Ron's room when he was being shaken awake by Mrs Weasley.  
**

**: "Time to go, Harry, dear," she whispered, moving away to wake Ron.  
**

"So why bother whispering?" asked James.

**: Harry felt around for his glasses, put them on and sat up. It was still dark outside. Ron muttered indistinctly as his mother roused him. At the foot of Harry's mattress he saw two large, dishevelled shapes emerging from tangles of blankets.   
**

**: "S'time already?" said Fred groggily.  
**

**: They dressed in silence, too sleepy to talk, then, yawning and stretching, the four of them headed downstairs into the kitchen.  
**

"What's the matter with these people?" asked James exasperated. "They're off to see the Quidditch World Cup! I'd be jumping round the house like a maniac!"

"Yes," said Remus, in a slightly higher voice then usual, as though frightened James might jump up and down like a maniac anyway.

**: Mrs Weasley was stirring the contents of a large pot on the stove, while Mr Weasley was sitting at the table, checking a sheaf of large parchment tickets. He looked up as the boys entered, and spread his arms so that they could see his clothes more clearly. **

They all looked at each other, then back at the book.

**: He was wearing what appeared to be a golfing jumper and a very old pair of jeans, slightly too big for him and held up with a thick leather belt.  
**

**: "What d'you think?" he asked anxiously. "We're supposed to go incognito - do I look like a Muggle, Harry?"  
**

"By the sound of things you do," said Sirius in a bored voice.

**: "Yeah," said Harry, smiling, "very good."  
**

**: "Where're Bill, Charlie and Per-Per-Percy?" said George, failing to stifle a huge yawn.  
**

**: "Well, they're Apparating, aren't they?" said Mrs Weasley, heaving the large pot over to the table and starting to ladle porridge into bowls. "So they can have a bit of a lie-in."  
**

**: Harry knew that Apparating was very difficult; it meant disappearing from one place and reappearing almost instantly in another.**

"It's not that hard once you know how," said James.

"Piece of cake," said Remus.

Sirius moaned and massaged his stomach again.

**: "So they're still in bed?" said Fred grumpily, pulling his bowl of porridge towards him. "Why can't we Apparate, too?" **

"'Cos you're too young?" said Lily sarcastically.

"So?" said Sirius and James together.

She rolled her eyes.

**: "Because you're not of age and you haven't got your test," snapped Mrs Weasley. "And where have those girls got to?"  
**

**: She bustled out of the kitchen and they heard her climbing the stairs. **

**  
: "You have to pass a test to Apparate?" Harry asked.  
**

**: "Oh yes," said Mr Weasley, tucking the tickets safely into the back pocket of his jeans. "The Department of Magical Transportation had to fine a couple of people the other day for Apparating without a licence. It's not easy, Apparition, and when it's not done properly it can lead to nasty complications. This pair I'm talking about went and splinched themselves." **

"Oooo," said Lily, wincing.

The others were screwing up their faces in the same expression Lily's was in.

**: Everyone around the table except Harry winced.**

**  
: "Er - splinched?" said Harry. **

**  
: "They left half of themselves behind," said Mr Weasley, now spooning large amounts of treacle onto his porridge. "So, of course, they were stuck. **

"Imagine how cool it would be to see someone's legs without their top half," said Sirius.

"Urgh," winced Lily.

**: Couldn't move either way. Had to wait for the Accidental Magic Reversal Squad to sort them out. Meant a fair old bit of paperwork, I can tell you, what with the Muggles who spotted the body parts they'd left behind ..."  
**

**: Harry had a sudden vision of a pair of legs and an eyeball lying abandoned on the pavement in Privet Drive.**

"That would be funny, just to see the look on the fatso's face," said James, grinning.

**: "Were they OK?" he asked, startled.  
**

**: "Oh yes," said Mr Weasley matter-of-factly. "But they got a heavy fine, and I don't think they'll be trying it again in a hurry. You don't mess around with Apparition. There are plenty of adult wizards who don't bother with it. Prefer brooms - slower, but safer." **

"I love riding my broom," said James.

"Yeah, but if you needed to be somewhere quick Apparition's great," said Remus.

"Yeah, I know," agreed James.

**: "But Bill and Charlie and Percy can all do it?"  
**

**: "Charlie had to take the test twice," said Fred, grinning. "He failed first time, Apparated five miles south of where he meant to, right on top of some poor old dear doing her shopping, remember?"**

The boys chuckled slightly.

"That's not funny! It's hard to pass your test!" said Lily sternly.

This caused them to burst out laughing.

**: "Yes, well, he passed second time," said Mrs Weasley, marching back into the kitchen amid hearty sniggers.  
**

**"Percy only passed two weeks ago," said George. "He's been Apparating downstairs every morning since, just to prove he can." **

**  
: There were footsteps down the passageway and Hermione and Ginny came into the kitchen, both looking pale and drowsy **

**  
: "Why do we have to get up so early?" Ginny said, rubbing her eyes and sitting down at the table. **

"What's the matter with them all?" said James, jumping around. "They're going to the Quidditch World Cup! They should have been up hours ago!"

**: "We've got a bit of a walk," said Mr Weasley.   
**

**: "Walk?" said Harry. "What, are we walking to the World Cup?" **

**  
: "No, no, that's miles away," said Mr Weasley, smiling. "We only need to walk a short way. It's just that it's very difficult for a large number of wizards to congregate without attracting Muggle attention. We have to be very careful about how we ravel at times, and on a huge occasion like the Quidditch World Cup -" **

**  
: "George!" said Mr Weasley sharply, and they all jumped. **

They all blinked at the sudden turn in conversation.

**: "What?" said George, in an innocent tone that deceived nobody. **

They all looked at Sirius. 

"What?"

"Nothing, mate - they just remind us of you!" said James, smiling.

"That's the nicest thing you've ever said to me."

They hugged gruffly.

**: "What is that in your pocket?" **

**  
: "Nothing!" **

**  
: "Don't lie to me!" **

**  
: Mrs Weasley pointed her wand at George's pocket and said, "Accio!" **

**  
: Several small, brightly coloured objects zoomed out of George's pocket; he made a grab for them but missed, and they sped right into Mrs Weasley's outstretched hand. **

"I hate it when my mother does that to me," muttered James furiously.

**: "We told you to destroy them!" said Mrs Weasley furiously, holding up what were unmistakably more Ton-Tongue Toffees. "We told you to get rid of the lot! Empty your pockets, go on, both of you!" **

**  
: It was a very unpleasant scene; the twins had evidently been trying to smuggle as many toffees out of the house as possible, and it was only by using her Summoning Charm that Mrs Weasley managed to find them all. **

**  
: "Accio! Accio! Accio!" she shouted, and toffees zoomed from all sorts of unlikely places, including the lining of George's jacket and the turn-ups of Fred's jeans. **

**  
: "We spent six months developing those!" Fred shouted at his mother, as she threw the toffees away. **

**  
: "Oh, a fine way to spend six months!" she shrieked. "No wonder you didn't get more O.W.Ls!" **

"Why is she so bothered about them?" said James. "If they want to go into business for themselves, she should be happy for them, shouldn't she?"

"I would be, but people are different," said Remus.

**: All in all, the atmosphere was not very friendly as they made their departure. Mrs Weasley was still glowering as she kissed Mr Weasley on the cheek, though not nearly as much as the twins, who had each hoisted their rucksacks onto their backs and walked out without a word to her. **

"Good for you guys!" said Sirius. 

"Yeah, I'd be really annoyed with my mother if she'd did that to me," said James.

"I thought you said that she had?" said Lily.

"She did, and I was in a mood with her for about a week!" replied James, then he chuckled. "The mood swings of a teenager, eh?"

**: "Well, have a lovely time," said Mrs Weasley, "and behave yourselves," she called after the twins' retreating backs, but they did not look back or answer. "I'll send Bill, Charlie and Percy along around midday," Mrs Weasley said to Mr Weasley, as he, Harry, Ron, Hermione and Ginny set off across the dark yard after Fred and George. **

James rubbed his hands together.

**: It was chilly and the moon was still out. Only a dull, greenish tinge along the horizon to their right showed that daybreak was drawing closer. Harry, having been thinking about thousands of wizards speeding towards the Quidditch World Cup, sped up to walk with Mr Weasley.   
**

**: "So how does everyone get there without all the Muggles noticing?" he asked. **

"Portkeys," said James, "for those who won't Apparate."

"Apparition, obviously, for those who can," said Sirius.

"Walking, if you live near," suggested Remus.

They all looked at Lily.

"I dunno, driving?"

"Yeah, you could drive there. Plenty of wizards have cars."

**: "It's been a massive organisational problem," sighed Mr Weasley. "The trouble is, about a hundred thousand wizards turn up to the World Cup, and of course we just haven't got a magical site big enough to accomodate them all. There are places Muggles can't penetrate, but imagine trying to pack a hundred thousand wizards into Diagon Alley or Platform Nine and Three-Quarters. So we had to find a nice deserted moor, and set up as many anti-Muggle precautions as possible. The whole Ministry's been working on it for months. Firstly, of course, we have to stagger the arrivals. People with cheaper tickets have to arrive two weeks beforehand. **

"Boring!" said Sirius loudly.

"Yes it is, but Harry asked because he's curious, and he's getting an explanation!" said Lily hotly.

**: A limited number use Muggle transport, but we can't have too many clogging up the their buses and trains - remember, wizards are coming from all over the world. Some Apparate, of course, but we have to set up safe points for them to appear, well away from Muggles. I believe there's a handy wood they're using as the Apparition point. For those who don't want to Apparate, or can't, we use Portkeys. They're objects that are used to transport wizards from one spot to another at a prearranged time. You can do large groups at a time if you need to. There have been two hundred Portkeys placed at strategic points around Britain, and the nearest one to us is up the top of Stoatshead Hill, so that's where we're headed." **

"Hey - we could go there, and put something of us there for Harry to find!" said James.

"No we couldn't," said Remus, "we can't mess with the future any more than what we already have."

Sirius gave Remus a glare as if saying to him, "You're no fun!"

**: Mr Weasley pointed ahead of them, where a large black mass rose beyond the village of Ottery St Catchpole.   
**

**: "What sort of objects are Portkeys?" said Harry curiously. **

**  
: "Well, they can be anything," said Mr Weasley. "Unobtrusive things, obviously, so Muggles don't go picking them up and playing with them ... stuff they'll just think is litter ..." **

**  
: They trudged down the dark, dank lane towards the village, the silence broken only by their footsteps. The sky lightened very slowly as they made their way through the village, its inky blackness diluting to deepest blue. Harry's hands and feet were freezing. **

"Oh, Harry - you should have put an extra pair of socks on, and a pair of gloves," cooed Lily.

"He's fine, Lily, stop fussing," said James.

**: Mr Weasley kept checking his watch.   
**

**: They didn't have breath to spare for talking as they began to climb Stoatshead Hill, stumbling occasionally in hidden rabbit holes, slipping on thick black tuffets of grass. Each breath Harry took was sharp in his chest, and his legs were starting to seize up when at last his feet found level ground. **

Lily was swaying anxiously on the spot. 

"Evans, if you don't stop worrying, I'm pouring a glass of cold water over you head," promised James.

**: "Whew," panted Mr Weasley, taking off his glasses and wiping them on his sweater. "Well, we've made good time - we've got ten minutes ..."   
**

**: Hermione came over the crest of the hill last, clutching a stitch in her side. **

**  
: "Now we just need the Portkey," said Mr Weasley, replacing his glasses and squinting around at the ground. "It won't be big ... come on ..." **

**  
: They spread out, searching. They had only been at it for a couple of minutes, however, when a shout rent the still air. **

**  
: "Over here, Arthur! Over here, son, we've got it!" **

"Oh, someone's beaten them to it," said Remus vaguely.

"Some more clever people not missing an opportunity of a lifetime!" said James happily.

**: Two tall figures were silhouetted against the starry sky on the other side of the hilltop.  
**

**: "Amos!" said Mr Weasley, smiling as he strode over to the man who had shouted. The rest of them followed.  
**

**: Mr Weasley was shaking hands with a ruddy-faced wizard with a scrubby brown beard, who was holding a mouldy-looking old boot in his other hand. **

**  
: "This is Amos Diggory, everyone," said Mr Weasley. "Works for the Department for the Regulation and Control of Magical Creatures. And I think you know his son, Cedric?"   
**

**: Cedric Diggory was an extremely handsome boy of around seventeen. He was captain and Seeker of Hufflepuff house Quidditch team at Hogwarts. **

"Oh yeah," said James, his smile fading slightly. "He's the git who'd beaten Gryffindor last year when Harry fell off his broom."

"Well, he was very fair about it, though," said Lily. "Plus, we won the cup anyway."

"True, but Harry would have kicked his arse if he'd stayed on his broom!"

**: "Hi," said Cedric, looking around at them all.  
**

**: Everybody said "Hi" back except Fred and George, who merely nodded. They had never quite forgotten Cedric for beating their team, Gryffindor, in the first Quidditch match of the previous year. **

**  
: "Long walk, Arthur?" Cedric's father asked. **

**  
: "Not too bad," said Mr Weasley. "We live just on the other side of the village there. You?" **

Sirius was about to announce his boredom again, but everyone anticipated him, and threw pillows at him before he could say a word.

**: "Had to get up at two, didn't we, Ced? I tell you, I'll be glad when he's got his Apparition test. Still ... not complaining ... Quidditch World Cup, wouldn't miss it for a sackful of Galleons - and the tickets cost about that. Mind you, looks like I got off easy ..." Amos Diggory peered good-naturedly around all three Weasley boys, Harry, Hermione and Ginny. "All these yours, Arthur?"**

"Do they all look like his children?" asked Sirius sarcastically.

**: "Oh, no, only the redheads," said Mr Weasley, pointing out his children. "This is Hermione, friend of Ron's - and Harry, another friend -"   
**

**: "Merlin's beard," said Amos Diggory, his eyes widening. "Harry? Harry Potter?" **

"The very same!" said James, proudly.

**: "Er - yeah," said Harry. **

**  
: Harry was used to people looking curiously at him when they met him, used to the way their eyes moved at once to the lightening scar on his forehead, but it always made him feel uncomfortable. **

"Well, at least it doesn't happen all that often," said Lily.

**: "Ced's talked about you, of course," said Amos Diggory. "Told us all about playing against you last year ... I said to him, I said - Ced, that'll be something to tell your grandchildren, that will ... you beat Harry Potter!" **

"That's making him feel even more comfortable, I'm sure," said James, with cool sarcasm.

Sirius was scowling.

**: Harry couldn't think of a reply to this, so he remained silent. **

"What the hell do you say to that?" asked Remus. 

"This guy sure knows how to put someone on the spot!" said Lily.

**: Fred and George were both scowling again. Cedric looked slightly embarrassed.   
**

**: "Harry fell off his broom, Dad," he muttered. "I told you ... it was an accident ..." **

**  
: "Yes, but you didn't fall off, did you?" roared Amos genially, slapping his son on his back. "Always modest, our Ced, always the gentleman ... but the best man won, I'm sure Harry'd say the same, wouldn't you, eh? **

"I'm sure," muttered Sirius. 

"He's just a proud dad, I suppose, but he's still choosing the wrong subject to show it off!" said James.

**: One falls off his broom, one stays on, you don't need a genius to tell which one's the better flier!" **

"OK, we'll see how long Cedric stays on the broom with a past like Harry's and a load of Dementors on the pitch," snapped Sirius.

**: "Must be nearly time," said Mr Weasley quickly, pulling out his watch again. "Do you know whether we're waiting for any more, Amos?" **

"See, he knows children far better, changed the subject," said Remus.

James, however, was rubbing his hands together in excitement again as the Quidditch World Cup loomed nearer.

**: "No, the Lovegoods have been there for a week already and the Fawcetts couldn't get tickets," said Mr Diggory. "There aren't any more of us in the area, are there?" **

**  
: "Not that I know of," said Mr Weasley. "Yes, it's a minute off ... we'd better get ready ..."   
**

**: He looked round at Harry and Hermione. "You just need to touch the Portkey, that's all, a finger will do -" **

**  
: With difficulty, owing to the bulky backpacks, the nine of them crowded around the old boot held out by Amos Diggory. **

James squeaked with excitement.

**: They all stood there in a tight circle, as a chill breeze swept over the hilltop. Nobody spoke. It suddenly occured to Harry how odd this would look if a Muggle were to walk up here now ... nine people, two grown men, clutching a manky old boot in the semi-darkness, waiting ... **

"Yeah, I suppose it would," said James, as though he'd never thought about it before.

**: "Three ..." muttered Mr Weasley, one eye still on his watch, **

"So where'd the other eye?" asked Sirius. 

Remus smacked his head.

"Other what?" asked Lily.

"Other eye?"

"Other I? What are you talking about, Black?"

"You're such an idiot sometimes, Sirius!" said James, grinning.

"Only sometimes ..." muttered Remus.

"I think we should carry on and pretend that Sirius never said anything."

"What are you going on about with I?" said Lily.

"Not I, eye!" said Sirius.

"Oh, for God's sake!" said Remus.

They all looked at him.

"What?"

**: "two ... one ..."   
**

**: It happened immediately: Harry felt as though a hook just behind his navel had been suddenly jerked irresistibly forwards. His feet had left the ground; he could feel Ron and Hermione on either side of him, their shoulders banging into his; they were speeding forwards in a howl of wind and swirling colour; his forefinger was stuck to the boot as though it was pulling him magnetically onwards and then - **

**  
: His feet slammed onto the ground; Ron staggered into him and he fell over; the Portkey his the ground near his head with a heavy thud. **

**  
: Harry looked up. Mr Weasley, Mr Diggory and Cedric were still standing, **

"Lucky them," muttered Lily.

**: though looking very windswept; everybody else was on the ground.  
**

**: "Seven past five from Stoatshead Hill," said a voice. **

"Seven past five, in the morning?" said Sirius, amazed that that was even a time in the day.

"That's the end of the chapter," said James.

Sirius took the book from him.


	7. Chapter 7

**Disclaimer: what do you think?**

**Beta: loonygrl90**

**CHAPTER SEVEN **

**: BAGMAN AND CROUCH **

"An entire chapter on Bagman!" sighed James enviously. "What a legend that man is!"

Lily rolled her eyes.

**: Harry disentangled himself from Ron and got to his feet. They had arrived on what appeared to be a deserted stretch of misty moor. In front of them was a pair of tired and grumpy-looking wizards, one of whom was holding a large gold watch, the other a thick roll of parchment and a quill. Both were dressed as Muggles, though very inexpertly; **

"Meaning they look stupid," said James, with a grin.

**: the man with the watch wore a tweed suit with thigh-length galoshes; his colleague, a kilt and a poncho. **

They all began to chuckle.

"Amazing how wizards put Muggle clothing together," said Remus.

"Funny thing is, though, that those looks will probably become fashionable to Muggles at some point in time," said Lily.

**: "Morning, Basil," said Mr Weasley, picking up the boot and handing it to the kilted wizard, who threw it into a large box of used Portkeys beside him; Harry could see an old newspaper, and empty drinks can and a punctured football. **

**  
: "Hello there, Arthur," said Basil wearily. "Not on duty, eh? It's all right for some ... we've been here all night ... you'd better get out of the way, we've got a big party coming in from the Black Forest at five fifteen. Hang on, I'll find your campsite ... Weasley ... Weasley ..." **

"Yes, he's aware of his name, and we've now gathered that you know his name as well," said James.

**: He consulted his parchment list. "About a quarter of a mile's walk over there, **

"Walk," whined Sirius.

**: first field you come to. Site manager's called Mr Roberts. Diggory ... second field ... ask for Mr Payne."  
**

**: "Thanks, Basil," said Mr Weasley, and he beckoned everyone to follow him. **

**  
: They set off across the deserted moor, unable to make out much through the mist. After about twenty minutes, a small stone cottage next to a gate swam into view. Beyond it, Harry could just make out the ghostly shapes of hundreds and hundreds of tents, **

James smiled. "Just a few of us gathered up for the event, then!"

"What else would you expect," said Remus, also smiling.

**: rising up the gentle slope of a large field towards a dark wood on the horizon. They said goodbye to the Diggorys, and approached the cottage door.   
**

**: A man was standing in the doorway, looking out at the tents. Harry knew at a glance that this was the only real Muggle for several acres. When he heard footsteps, he turned his head to look at them.   
**

**: "Morning!" said Mr Weasley brightly. **

**  
: "Morning," said the Muggle. **

**  
: "Would you be Mr Roberts?" **

**  
: "Aye, I would," said Mr Roberts. "And who're you?" **

**  
: "Weasley - two tents, booked a couple of days ago?" **

**  
: "Aye," said Mr Roberts, consulting a list tacked to the door. "You've got a space up by the Wood there. Just the one night?" **

**  
: "That's it," said Mr Weasley. **

**  
: "You'll be paying now, then?" said Mr Roberts. **

"This'll be interesting," muttered Remus.

**: "Ah - right - certainly -" said Mr Weasley. He retreated a short distance from the cottage and beckoned Harry towards him. "Help me, Harry," he muttered, pulling a roll of Muggle money from his pocket and starting to peel the notes apart. "This one's a - a - a ten? Ah yes, I can see the little number on it now ... so this is a five?" **

**  
: "A twenty," Harry corrected him in an undertone, uncomfortably aware of Mr Roberts trying to catch every word. **

**  
: "Ah yes, so it is ... I don't know, these little bits of paper ..." **

**  
: "You foreign?" said Mr Roberts, as Mr Weasley returned with the correct notes. **

"Does he look or sound foreign?" asked Sirius sarcastically.

**: "Foreign?" repeated Mr Weasley, puzzled.   
**

**: "You're not the first one who's had trouble with money," said Mr Roberts, scrutinising Mr Weasley closely. "I had two try and pay me with great gold coins the size of hubcaps ten minutes ago." **

"You know, Muggles are cleverer than what we give them credit for," said Remus, smiling. 

"Yeah, they do notice things after all," said Sirius, with an air of mild surprise.

"Though, I doubt that he would actually work out what we really were. It would be too hard to grasp for him," said James.

**: "Did you really?" said Mr Weasley nervously.   
**

**: Mr Roberts rummaged around in his tin for some change.   
**

**: "Never been this crowded," he said suddenly, looking out over the misty fields again. "Hundreds of pre-bookings. People usually just turn up ..." **

**  
: "Is that right?" said Mr Weasley, his hand held out for his change, but Mr Roberts didn't give it to him. **

"You'd think he'd be happy to make some more money for a change," said Lily.

"Well, I wouldn't be complaining," said Remus.

**: "Aye," he said thoughtfully. "People from all over. Loads of foreigners. And not just foreigners. Weirdoes, you know? **

"Hey! We are NOT weirdoes!" said James hotly.

"We're just different!" added Remus.

**: There's a bloke walking round in a kilt and a poncho." **

**  
: "Shouldn't he?" said Mr Weasley anxiously. **

"That doesn't make him a weirdo, just has a strange taste in fashion," said Lily.

"I would call him a weirdo," said Sirius.

**: "It's like some sort of ... I dunno ... like some sort of rally," said Mr Roberts. "They all seem to know each other. Like a big party." **

"You know, this guy's very observant," said Remus.

"Too observant," said James.

**: At that moment, a wizard in plus-fours appeared out of thin air next to Mr Roberts's front door.  
**

**: "Obliviate!" he said sharply, pointing his wand at Mr Roberts. **

**  
: Instantly, Mr Roberts's eyes slid out of focus, his brows unknitted, and a look of dreamy unconcern fell over his face. Harry recognised the symptoms of one who had just had his memory modified. **

**  
: "A map of the campsite for you," Mr Roberts said placidly to Mr Weasley. "And your change." **

**  
: "Thanks very much," said Mr Weasley. **

They all blinked, and looked at each other, looks of amazement on each of their faces.

**: The wizard in plus-fours **

"What the hell are plus-fours?" asked Sirius.

The others shrugged.

**: accompanied them towards the gate to the campsite. He looked exhausted; his chin was blue with stubble and there were deep purple shadows under his eyes. Once out of earshot of Mr Roberts, he muttered to Mr Weasley, "Been having a lot of trouble with him. Needs a Memory Charm ten times a day to keep him happy. And Ludo Bagman's not helping. Trotting around talking about Bludgers and Quaffles at the top of his voice, not a worry about anti-Muggle security. **

Jams chuckled. 

Lily frowned, "Well, that's not very professional of him."

"He's just excited," said Sirius.

"I'd be like that - they'd probably have to gag me to shut me up," said James.

**: Blimey, I'll be glad when this is over. See you later, Arthur." **

**  
: He Disapparated. **

**  
: "I thought Bagman was Head of Magical Games and Sports?" said Ginny, looking surprised. "He should know better than to talk about Bludgers near Muggles, shouldn't he?" **

"God, why is it always women who come up with these things?" asked James irritably.

"Yeah, do they have nothing better to do than to find fault with everything?" added Sirius.

**: "He should," said Mr Weasley, smiling, and leading them through the gates into the campsite, "but Ludo's always been a bit ... well ... lax about security. You couldn't wish for a more enthusiastic Head of the Sports Department, though. **

"I bet you couldn't," said James dreamily.

**: He played Quidditch for England himself, you know. And he was the best Beater the Wimbourne Wasps ever had." **

"DAMN STRAIGHT!" said James and Sirius standing up together, their hands to their chests solemnly. 

Remus and Lily looked at them as though they had gone mad.

"What?" they asked. "We're just showing our respects to a legendary Quidditch hero."

They then looked at each other, grinned and hugged gruffly.

**: They trudged up the misty field between long rows of tents. Most of them looked almost ordinary; their owners had clearly tried to make them as Muggle-like as possible, but had slipped up by adding chimneys, or bell-pulls, or weather-vanes. **

"You can do that to tents?" asked Lily, impressed.

"Of course you can," said Sirius.

**: However, here and there was a tent so obviously magical that Harry could hardly be surprised that Mr Roberts was getting suspicious. Halfway up the field stood an extravagant confection of striped silk like a miniature palace, with several live peacocks tethered at the entrance. **

"Why on this earth would your bring peacocks to the World Cup?" asked James, bemused.

The others shrugged.

**: A little further on they passed a tent that had three floors and several turrets; and a short way beyond that was a tent which had a front garden attached, complete with birdbath, sundial and fountain. **

**  
: "Always the same," said Mr Weasley, smiling, "we can't resist showing off when we get together. Ah, here we are, look, this is us." **

**  
: They had reached the very edge of the wood at the top of the field, and here was an empty space, with a small sign hammered into the ground that read "Weezly". **

"The Muggle can't spell, then," said Sirius.

"Well, Weasley's not really that common a name," said Lily.

**: "Couldn't have a better spot!" said Mr Weasley happily. "The pitch is jut on the other side of the wood there, we're as close as we could be." **

"Excellent!" said James happily.

**: He hoisted his backpack from his shoulders. "Right," he said excitedly, "no magic allowed, strictly speaking, not when we're out in these numbers on Muggle land. We'll be putting these tents up by hand! Shouldn't be too difficult ... Muggles do it all the time ... here, Harry, where do you reckon we should start?" **

"He never asks Hermione, and she's a Muggle-born," said Lily.

"Yeah, but Harry's a boy, and there are more boys, so ..." said Remus.

**: Harry had never been camping in his life; the Dursleys had never taken him on any kind of holiday, preferring to leave him with Mrs Figg, and old neighbour. **

James and Lily glared at the book.

**: However, he and Hermione worked out where most of the poles and pegs should go, and though Mr Weasley was more a hindrance then a help, because he got thoroughly over-excited when it came to using a mallet, **

They all looked at each other. 

"His wife must have had a blinding honeymoon," muttered Sirius.

**: they finally managed to erect a pair of shabby two-man tents. **

**  
: All of them stood back to admire their handiwork. Nobody looking at these tents would guess they belonged to wizards, Harry thought, but the trouble was that once Bill, Charlie and Percy arrived, they would be a party of ten. Hermione seemed to have spotted this problem, too; **

"But there's obviously room inside- it'll have been bewitched to look smaller from the outside to make it look normal!" said James, as though this was obvious.

**: she gave Harry a quizzical look as Mr Weasley dropped to his hands and knees and entered the first tent.   
**

**: "We'll be a bit cramped," he called, "but I think we'll all squeeze in. Come and have a look." **

**  
: Harry bent down, ducked under the tent flap, and felt his jaw drop. He had walked into what looked like an old-fashioned, three-roomed flat, complete with bathroom and kitchen. Oddly enough, it was furnished in exactly the same sort of style as Mrs Figg's; there were crocheted covers on the mismatched chairs, and a strong smell of cats. **

"This Mrs Figg woman seems to be creeping up more and more," said James, frowning. "Maybe there's more to her than what we realise."

**: "Well, it's not for long," said Mr Weasley, mopping his bald patch with a handkerchief and peering in at the four bunk beds that stood in the bedroom. "I borrowed this from Perkins at the office. Doesn't camp much any more, poor fellow, he's got lumbago." **

**  
: He picked up the dusty kettle and peered inside it. "We'll need water ..." **

**  
: "There's a tap marked on this map the Muggle gave us," said Ron, who had followed Harry inside the tent, and seemed completely unimpressed by its extraordinary inner proportions. "It's on the other side of the field." **

**  
: "Well, why don't you, Harry and Hermione go and get us some water, then -" **

"Ugh, why can't you just use magic?" asked Sirius.

"Because there'll be Muggles about," said James.

"Yeah, but they'll not see anything if they do it in the tent," moaned Sirius.

**: Mr Weasley handed over the kettle and a couple of saucepans, "- and the rest of us will get some wood for a fire." **

**  
: "But we've got an oven," said Ron, "why can't we just -?" **

**  
: "Ron, anti-Muggle security!" said Mr Weasley, his face shining with anticipation. "When real Muggles camp, they cook on fires outdoors, I've seen them at it!" **

**  
: After a quick tour of the girls' tent, which was slightly smaller then the boys', though without the smell of cats, Harry, Ron and Hermione set off across the campsite with the kettle and saucepans. **

**  
: Now, with the sun newly risen and the mist lifting, they could see the city of tents that stretched in every direction. They mad their way slowly through the rows, staring eagerly around. It was only just dawning on Harry how many witches and wizards there must be in the world; he had never really thought much about those in other countries. **

"There's loads of us!" said James, happily. 

"I never thought about it much, either, until I saw a load of foreign people in Diagon Alley once," said Lily.

**: Their fellow campers were starting to wake up. First to stir were the families with small children; Harry had never seen witches and wizards this young before. A tiny boy, no older then two was crouched outside a large pyramid-shaped tent, holding a wand and poking happily at a slug in the grass, which was swelling slowly to the size of a salami. As they drew level with him, hi mother came hurrying out of the tent. **

**  
: "How many times, Kevin? You don't - touch - Daddy's - wand - yeuch!" **

They were all laughing.

"I did that to a lady-bird once," said James, "when I heard my mother shouting at me, I turned around, and when I turned back I was so scared, I ran into the shed screaming."

**: She had trodden on the giant slug, which burst. Her scolding carried after them on the still air, mingling with the little boy's yells - "You bust slug! You bust slug!" **

**  
: A short way further on, they saw two little witches, barely older than Kevin, who were riding toy broomsticks which rose only high enough for the girls' toes to skim the dewy grass. A Ministry wizard had already spotted them; as he hurried past Harry, Ron and Hermione, he muttered distractedly, "In broad daylight! Parents having a lie-in, I suppose -" **

**  
: Here and there adult wizards were emerging from their tents and starting to cook breakfast. Some, with furtive looks around them, conjured fires with their wands; others were striking matches with dubious looks on their faces, as though sure this couldn't work.**

"Oh, for goodness sake!" scowled Lily. "They only have to give it a try. If Muggles can manage without magic for a lifetime, there's no reason why we can't survive without it for a couple of days!"

**: Three African wizards sat in serious conversation, all of them wearing long white robe and roasting what looked like a rabbit on a bright purple fire, while a group of middle-aged American witches sat gossiping happily beneath a spangled banner stretched between their tents which read: The Salem Witches' Institute. Harry caught snatches of conversation in strange languages from the insides of tents they passed, and though he couldn't understand a single word, the tone of every voice was excited.  
**

**: "Er - is it my eyes, or has everything gone green?" said Ron. **

"Must have reached the Ireland supporters," muttered James.

**: It wasn't just Ron's eyes. They had walked into a patch of tents that were all covered with a thick growth of shamrocks, so that it looked as though small, oddly shaped hillocks had sprouted out of the earth. Grinning faces could be seen under those which had their flaps open. Then, from behind them, they heard their names. **

**  
: "Harry! Ron! Hermione!" **

**  
: It was Seamus Finnigan, their fellow Gryffindor fourth-year. He was sitting in front of his own shamrock-covered tent, with a sandy-haired woman who had to be his mother, and his best friend, Dean Thomas, also of Gryffindor. **

**  
: "Like the decorations?" said Seamus, grinning, when Harry, Ron and Hermione had gone over to say hello. "The Ministry's not too happy." **

**  
: "Ah, why shouldn't we show our colours?" said Mrs Finnigan. **

"I second that!" said James.

"Damn straight!" agreed Sirius.

**: "You should see what the Bulgarians have got dangling all over their tents. You'll be supporting Ireland, of course?" she added, eyeing Harry, Ron and Hemrione beadily. **

"OK, guys, whatever you do, you do not - I repeat - you do NOT say no," said James steadily and clearly.

**: When they had assured her that they were indeed supporting Ireland, they set off again, though, as Ron said, "Like we'd say anything else surrounded by that lot."  
**

**: "I wonder what the Bulgarians have got dangling all over their tents?" said Hermione.  
**

**: "Let's go and have a look," said Harry, pointing to a large patch of tents upfield, where the Bulgarian flag, red, green and white, was fluttering in the breeze. **

**  
: The tents here had not been bedecked with plant life, but each and every one of them had the same poster attached to it, a poster of a very surly face with heavy black eyebrows. The picture was of course moving, but all it did was blink and scowl. **

"A happy Quidditch player, then," said Lily sarcastically.

"He must be their star player," said James.

**: "Krum," said Ron quietly.   
**

**: "What?" said Hermione. **

**  
: "Krum!" said Ron. "Viktor Krum, the Bulgarian Seeker!" **

"I thought he'd be the Seeker," said Sirius.

"Though, he'd better catch the Snitch early," said James. "If the Irish Chasers are still as good as they are now, they'll never beat them, whether he catches the Snitch first or not."

**: "He looks really grumpy," said Hermione, looking around the many Krums blinking and scowling at them. **

"Really grumpy!" said Sirius, as though Hermione was stupid. 

"Well, he sounds it," said Lily.

**: ""Really grumpy"?" Ron raised his eyes to the heavens. "Who cares what he looks like? He's unbelievable. He's really young, too. Only just eighteen or something. **

"Woah," said James, Sirius and Remus together.

**: He's a genius, you wait until tonight, you'll see."   
**

**: There was already a small queue for the tap at the corner of the field. Harry, Ron and Hermione joined it, right behind a pair of men who were having a heated argument. One of them was a very old wizard who was wearing a long flowery night-gown. **

"Oh my God," said James, his eyebrows raised.

**: The other was clearly a Ministry wizard; he was holding out a pair of pinstriped trousers and almost crying with exasperation. **

**  
: "Just put them on, Archie, there's a good chap, you can't walk around like that, the Muggle on the gate's already getting suspicious -" **

**  
: "I bought this in a Muggle shop," said the old wizard stubbornly. "Muggles wear them." **

"Indeed, Muggles do wear them, of the female branch," said James. He looked as if he didn't know whether to look worried or laugh.

**: "Muggle women wear them, Archie, not the men, they wear these," said the Ministry wizard, and he brandished the pinstriped trousers. **

**  
: "I'm not putting them on," said old Archie in indignation. "I like a healthy breeze round my privates, thanks." **

They all burst out laughing and applauded old Archie for such a magnificent comeback.

**: Hermione was overcome with such a strong fit of the giggles at this point that she had to duck out of the queue, and only returned when Archie had collected his water and moved away again.   
**

**: Walking more slowly now, because of the weight of the water, they made their way back through the campsite. Here and there they saw more familiar faces: other Hogwarts students with their families. Oliver Wood, the old captain of Harry's house Quidditch team, who had just left Hogwarts, dragged Harry over to his parents' tent to be introduced, and told him excitedly that he had just been signed to the Puddlemore United reserve team. **

James snorted.

"What?" asked Lily.

"Tornados are better," he said flatly.

**:Next they were hailed by Ernie Macmillan, a Hufflepuff fourth-year, and a little further on they saw Cho Chang, a very pretty girl who played Seeker on the Ravenclaw team. She waved and smiled at Harry, who slopped quite a lot of water down his front as he waved back. **

"Awww," cooed Lily, "Harry likes her!"

Sirius looked disgusted at the way Harry handled that.

**: More to stop Ron smirking than anything, Harry hurriedly pointed out a large group of teenagers whom he had never seen before.   
**

**: "Who d'you reckon they are?" he said. "They don't go to Hogwarts, do they?" **

"There's more than one wizarding school in the world, you know," said James.

"I don't think he does know, James," said Remus.

**: "'Spect they go to some foreign school," said Ron. "I know there are others, never met anyone who went to one though. Bill had a pen-friend at a school in Brazil ... this was years and years ago ... and he wanted to go on an exchange trip but Mum and Dad couldn't afford it. His pen-friend got all offended when he said he wasn't going and sent him a cursed hat. It made his ears shrivel up." **

"Nice of them, not their fault they couldn't afford for him to go!" said James hotly.

"A cursed hat's a good idea, though," said Sirius, a mischievous glint in his eye. "Perhaps we could send an anonymous present to Snape sometime ..."

**: Harry laughed, but didn't voice the amazement he felt at hearing about other wizarding schools. He supposed, now he saw representatives of so many nationalities in the campsite, that he had been stupid never to realise that Hogwarts couldn't be the only one. He glanced at Hermione, who looked utterly unsurprised by the information. No doubt she had run across the news about other wizarding schools in some book or other. **

"How many books does she read?" asked Sirius. 

"More than you, Sirius, that's for sure," said Remus.

**: "You've been ages," said George, when they finally got back to the Weasleys' tents.   
**

**: "Met a few people," said Ron, setting the water down. "You not got the fire started yet?"  
**

**: "Dad's having fun with the matches," said Fred.   
**

**: Mr Weasley was having no success at all in lighting the fire, but it wasn't for lack of trying. Splintered matches littered the ground around him, but he looked as though he was having the time of his life. **

**  
: "Oops!" he said, as he managed to light a match, and promptly dropped it in surprise. **

They all laughed.

"He's a Muggle maniac," said Sirius.

"Was that meant to be funny?" asked Remus.

"It was funny, Remus, you're just too stupid to get it."

"I don't get it either," said Lily.

Remus looked at him with a satisfied grin.

"Ah, shut up, the both of you!"

**: "Come here, Mr Weasley," said Hermione kindly, taking the box from him, and starting to show him how to do it properly.   
**

**: At last, they got the fire lit, though it was at least another hour before it was hot enough to cook anything. There was plenty to watch while they waited, however. Their tent seemed to be pitched right along a thoroughfare to the pitch, and Ministry members kept hurrying up and down it, greeting Mr Weasley cordially as they passed. Mr Weasley kept up a running commentary, mainly for Harry and Hermione's benefit; his own children knew too much about the Ministry to be greatly interested. **

"And I say that we do as well, and should skip the next paragraph," said Sirius.

"NO!" they all roared back at him. And they each started to rant on about how they'd rather hear all of it, or that Sirius was a lazy git and if he wasn't fit to read all of it, he should give the darned book to someone else ...

"Woah, OK, OK, I'll read all of it, geesh!"

**: "That was Cuthbert Mockridge, Head of the Goblin Liaison Office ... here comes Gilbert Wimple, he's with the Committee on Experimental Charms, he's had those horns for a while now ... **

"Oh my God, imagine having horns permanently," said James, as though he'd never imagined magic having permanent damage to someone's appearance like that. 

"Maybe he doesn't know they're there," suggested Remus.

**: Hello, Arnie ... Arnold Peasegood, he's an Obliviator - member of the Accidental Magical Reverse Squad, you know ... and that's Bode and Croaker ... they're Unspeakables ..." **

"It's be cool be work in the Department of Mysteries," said James, with awe.

"Yeah," agreed Remus and Sirius.

**: "They're what?"   
**

**: "From the Department of Mysteries, top-secret, no idea what they get up to ..." **

**  
: At last, the fire was ready, and they had just started cooking eggs and sausages when Bill, Charlie and Percy came strolling out of the woods towards them. **

**  
: "Just Apparated, Dad," said Percy loudly. **

"Yes, we can see that, no need to show off about it!" snapped Remus.

"Woah, calm down!"

"He's just really annoying me!"

**: "Ah, excellent, lunch!"   
**

**: They were halfway through their plates of sausages and eggs when Mr Weasley jumped up to his feet, waving and grinning at a man who was striding towards them. "Aha!" he said. "The man of the moment! Ludo!" **

"Ludo Bagman!" said James excitedly, jumping to his feet and dancing around. "Harry's gonna meet Ludo Bagman!" 

"Oh, for goodness sake, James, he's only a Quidditch player!" said Lily. 

The boys all looked at her as if they didn't understand her at all.

**: Ludo Bagman was easily the most noticeable person Harry had seen so far, even including old Archie in his flowered nightdress. He was wearing long Quidditch robes in thick horizontal stripes of bright yellow and black. An enormous picture of a wasp was splashed across his chest. **

"Ah, Bagman, my hero," said James dreamily.

**: He had the look of a powerfully built man gone slightly to seed; the robes were stretched tightly across a large belly he surely had not had in the days when he had played Quidditch for England. **

"Nope, he's quite fit, is Bagman," said Sirius. 

"Not there, though," said Lily.

"Yeah, but he'll be getting on by that point, plus he has a job in the Ministry - probably not as active there as when he was playing Quidditch," said Remus.

**: His nose was squashed (probably broken by a stray Bludger, Harry though), but his round blue eyes, short blond hair and rosy complexion made him look like a very overgrown schoolboy. **

"That's probably all his is, as well," said Lily.

**: "Ahoy there!" Bagman called happily. He was walking as though he had springs attached to the balls of his feet, and was plainly in a state of wild excitement. **

**  
: "Arthur, old man," he puffed, as he reached the campfire, "what a day, eh? What a day! Could we have asked for more perfect weather? A cloudless night coming ... and hardly a hiccough in the arrangements ... not much for me to do!" **

"I bet there's loads for him to do, but they're just letting him get on with his own thing," said Remus, smiling.

**: Behind him, a group of haggard-looking Ministry wizards rushed past, pointing at the distant evidence of some sort of a magical fire which was sending violet sparks twenty feet into the air. **

They all chuckled.

**: Percy hurried forwards with his hand outstretched. **

"Huh, not disapproving of him at the moment, then!" huffed Remus.

**: Apparently his disapproval of the way Ludo Bagman ran his department did not prevent him wanting to make a good impression.   
**

**: "Ah - yes," said Mr Weasley, grinning, "this is my son, Percy, he's just started at the Ministry - and this is Fred - no, George, sorry - that's Fred - Bill, Charlie, Ron - my daughter, Ginny - and Ron's friends, Hermione Granger and Harry Potter." **

**  
: Bagman did the smallest of double-takes when he heard Harry's name, and his eyes performed the familiar flick upwards to the scar on Harry's forehead. **

"God, that's really annoying me!" muttered James. 

"Me too," said Sirius.

"This how Harry feels!"

**: "Everyone," Mr Weasley continued, "this is Ludo Bagman, you know who he is, it's thanks to him we've got such good tickets -" **

**  
: Bagman beamed and waved his hand as if to say it had been nothing. **

James was beaming proudly. After all, his son had just met one of the best Quidditch players in England.

**: "Fancy a flutter on the match, Arthur?" he said eagerly, jingling what seemed to be a large amount of gold in the pockets of his yellow and black robes. **

Lily looked outraged and started muttering, "Betting in front of young children ... what on earth are they thinking ... never would have believed it ..."

**: "I've already got Roddy Pontner betting me Bulgaria will score first - I offered him nice odds, considering Ireland's front three are the strongest I've seen in years - and little Agatha Timms has put up half shares in her eel farm on a week-long match." **

: Oh ... go on, then," said Mr Weasley. "Let's see ... a Galleon on Ireland to win?" 

"That's OK," said Lily, looking a bit happier.

**: "A Galleon?" Ludo Bagman looked slightly disappointed, but recovered himself. "Very well, very well ... any other takers?"   
**

**: "They're a bit young to be gambling," said Mr Weasley. "Molly wouldn't like -" **

**  
: "We'll bet thirty-seven Galleons, fifteen Sickles, three Knuts," said Fred, as he and George quickly pooled all their money, "that Ireland win - but Viktor Krum gets the Snitch. Oh, and we'll throw in a fake wand." **

They all looked stunned, and looked at each other.

**: "You don't want to be showing Mr Bagman rubbish like that -" Percy hissed, but Bagman didn't seem to think that wand was rubbish at all; on the contrary, his boyish face shone with excitement as he took it from Fred, and when the wand gave a loud squawk and turned into a rubber chicken, Bagman roared with laughter. **

**  
: "Excellent! I haven't seen one that convincing in years! I'd pay five Galleons for that!" **

They all roared with laughter. 

"I would love to see the look on Percy's face at the minute!" said James.

**: Percy froze in an attitude of stunned disapproval.   
**

**: "Boys," said Mr Weasley under his breath, "I don't want you betting ... that's all your savings ... your mother -" **

**  
: "Don't be such a spoilsport, Arthur!" boomed Ludo Bagman, rattling his pockets excitedly. **

James frowned slightly. 

"He shouldn't be encouraging them," said Remus.

**: "They're old enough to know what they want! You reckon Ireland will win but Krum'll get the Snitch? Not a chance, boys, not a chance ... I'll give you excellent odds on that one ... we'll add five Galleons for the wand, then, shall we ..." **

**  
: Mr Weasley looked on helplessly as Ludo Bagman whipped out a notebook and quill and began jotting down he twins' names. **

**  
: "Cheers," said George, taking the slip of parchment Bagman handed him and tucking it away into the front of his robes. **

**  
: Bagman turned most cheerfully back to Mr Weasley. "Couldn't do me a brew, I suppose? I'm keeping an eye out for Barty Crouch. My Bulgarian opposite number's making difficulties, and I can't understand a word he's saying. Barty'll be able to sort it out. He speaks about a hundred and fifty languages." **

"Woah ..." they all breathed.

"How could you even remember so many languages!" said Sirius, wide-eyed, wearing a bemused expression.

The others shrugged.

**: "Mr Crouch?" said Percy, suddenly abandoning his look of poker-stiff disapproval and positively writhing with excitement. **

"Oooh, what an interestingly fantastic life you lead," muttered Remus. "I'm sure the ladies are queuing by your desk!"

**: "He speaks over two hundred! Mermish and Gobbledegook and Troll ..." **

"Troll?"said Sirius.

"They actually have a language?" said James in amazement.

**: "Anyone can speak Troll," said Fred dismissively, "all you have to do is point and grunt." **

They all laughed. 

"It's true, though," said James.

**: Percy threw Fred an extremely nasty look, and stoked the fire vigorously to bring the kettle back to the boil.   
**

**: "Any news of Bertha Jorkins yet, Ludo?" Mr Weasley asked, as Bagman settled himself down on the grass beside them all. **

**  
: "Not a dicky bird," said Bagman comfortably. "But she'll turn up. Poor old Bertha ... memory like a leaky cauldron and no sense of direction. **

"Well, she definitely has no sense of direction -" said James.

"And no brains," muttered sirius.

"But she's definitely not got a poor memory," he continued, and he frowned.

**: Lost, you take my word for it. She'll wander back into the office some time in October, thinking it's still July." **

"And that doesn't bother him?" asked Lily, looked at the others skeptically.

"Apparently not," said James, now looking as though he was thinking Bagman was a bit of an idiot.

**: "You don't think it might be time to send someone to look for her?" Mr Weasley suggested tentatively, as Percy handed Bagman his tea. **

**  
: "Barty Crouch keeps saying that," said Bagman, his round eyes widening innocently, "but we really can't spare anyone at the moment. Oh - talk of the devil! Barty!"   
**

**: A wizard had just Apparated at their fireside, and he could not have made more of a contrast with Ludo Bagman, sprawled on the grass in his old Wasp robes. **

"Sounds like a man who is married to his work," said James with disgust. "I'd never do that! Ever!"

**: Barty Crouch was a stiff, upright, elderly man, dressed in an impeccably crisp suit and tie. The parting in his short grey hair was almost unnaturally straight and his narrow toothbrush moustache looked as though he trimmed it using a slide-rule. **

Sirius snorted in disgust.

**: His shoes were very highly polished. Harry could see at once why Percy idolised him. Percy was a great believer in rigidly following rules, and Mr Crouch had complied with the rule about Muggle dressing so thoroughly that he could have passed as a bank manager; Harry doubted even Uncle Vernon would have spotted him for what he really was. **

"Probably not," said James, "ignorant git!"

**: "Pull up a bit of grass, Barty,"said Ludo brightly, patting the ground beside him. **

**  
: "No, thank you, Ludo," said Crouch, and there was a bite of impatience in his voice. "I've been looking for you everywhere. The Bulgarians are insisting we add another twelve seats to the Top Box." **

**  
: "Oh, is that what they're after?" said Bagman. "I thought the chap was asking to borrow a pair of tweezers. Bit of a strong accent." **

**  
: "Mr Crouch!" said Percy breathlessly, sunk into a kind of half bow which made him look like a hunchback. "Would you like a cup of tea?" **

**  
: "Oh," said Mr Crouch, looking over at Percy in mild surprise. "Yes - thank you, Weatherby." **

They all burst out laughing.

**: Fred and George choked into their own cups. Percy, very pink around the ears, busied himself with the kettle.   
**

**: "Oh, and I've been wanting a word with you, too, Arthur," said Mr Crouch, his sharp eyes falling upon Mr Weasley. "Ali Bashir's on the warpath. He wants a word with you about your embargo on flying carpets."   
**

**: Mr Weasley heaved a deep sigh. "I sent him an owl about that just last week. If I've told him once I've told him a hundred times carpets are defined as a Muggle Artefact by the Registry of Proscribed Charmable Objects, but will he listen?" **

**  
: "I doubt it," said Mr Crouch, accepting a cup from Percy. "He's desperate to export here." **

**  
: "Well, they'll never replace brooms in Britain, will they?" said Bagman. **

**  
: "Ali thinks there's a niche in the market for a family vehicle," said Mr Crouch. "I remember my grandfather had an Axminster that could seat twelve - but that was before carpets were banned, of course." **

**  
: He spoke as though he wanted to leave nobody in any doubt that all his ancestors had abided strictly by the law. **

"He sounds dead boring and annoying," said Sirius.

"His kids will probably be just like Percy!" snorted Remus.

**: "So, been keeping busy, Barty?" said Bagman breezily.   
**

**: "Fairly," said Mr Crouch drily. "Organising Portkeys across five continents is no mean feat, Ludo."   
**

**: "I expect you'll both be glad when this is all over?" said Mr Weasley. **

**  
: Ludo Bagman looked shocked. "Glad! Don't know when I've had more fun ... **

"DAMN STRAIGHT!" said Sirius and James together. "QUIDDITCH WILL RULE ALL FOREVER!"

**: still, it's not as though we haven't got anything to look forward to, eh, Barty? Eh? Plenty left to organise, eh?" **

**  
: Mr Crouch raised his eyebrows at Bagman. "We agreed not to make the announcement until all details -" **

**  
: "Oh, details!" said Bagman, waving the word away like a cloud of midges. "They've signed, haven't they? They've agreed, haven't they? I bet you anything these kids'll know soon enough anyway. I mean, it's happening at Hogwarts -" **

**  
: "Ludo, we need to meet the Bulgarians, you know," said Mr Crouch sharply, cutting Bagman's remarks short. **

"He's a right boring old fart!" said Sirius in disgust. 

"He would have blurted out what it was as well!" said James, sounding very disappointed.

**: "Thank you for the tea, Weatherby."   
**

**: He pushed his undrunk tea back at Percy and waited for Ludo to rise; Bagman struggled to his feet again, swigging down the last of his tea, the gold in his pockets clinking merrily.   
**

**: "See you all later!" he said. "You'll be up in the Top Box with me - I'm commentating!" He waved, Barty Crouch nodded curtly, and both of them Disapparated. **

**  
: "What's happening at Hogwarts, Dad?" said Fred at once. "What were they talking about?" **

**  
: "You'll find out soon enough," said Mr Weasley, smiling. **

"I hate it when parents do that. It's a sure sign that you won't find out for months after," huffed James.

**: "It's classified information, until such time as the Ministry decides to release it," said Percy stiffly. "Mr Crouch was quite right not to disclose it." **

"Oh, shut up, for God's sake!" said Remus, in a tone that suggested that Percy was irritating him and wished for nothing else but for him to shut up.

**: "Oh, shut up, Weatherby," said Fred. **

They all roared with laughter.

**: A sense of excitement rose like a palpable cloud over the campsite as the afternoon wore on. By dusk, the still summer air itself seemed to be quivering with anticipation, and as darkness spread like a curtain over the thousands of waiting wizards, the last vestiges of pretence disappeared: the Ministry seemed to have bowed to the inevitable, and stopped fighting the signs of blatant magic now breaking out everywhere. **

They all chuckled, but James and Sirius were dancing round the room in total excitement.

"Imagine what he'd be like if he was actually there with Harry," said Lily in amazement.

"I don't even want to imagine what he'd be like," said Remus.

**: Salesmen were Apparating every few feet, carrying trays and pushing carts full of extraordinary merchandise. There were luminous rosettes - green for Ireland, red for Bulgaria - which were squealing the names of the players, pointed green hats bedecked with dancing shamrocks, Bulgarian scarves adorned with lions that really roared, flags from both countries which played their national anthems as they were waved; there were tiny models of Firebolts, which really flew, and collectible figures of famous players, which strolled across the palm of your hand, preening themselves. **

"Cooooooooool," they all whooped enviously.

James gave a great sigh of envy, but looked happy, probably due to the fact that Harry was there enjoying himself.

**: "Been saving my pocket money all summer for this," Ron told Harry, as they and Hermione strolled through the salesmen, buying souvenirs. Though Ron purchased himself a dancing-shamrock hat and a large green rosette, he also bought a small figure of Viktor Krum, the Bulgarian Seeker. **

"Why not, he sounds quite cool," said James.

**: The miniature Krum walked backwards and forwards over Ron's hand, scowling up at the green rosette above him.   
**

**: "Wow, look at these!" said Harry, hurrying over to a cart piled high with what looked like brass binoculars, except that they were covered in all sorts of weird knobs and dials.   
**

**: "Omnioculars," said the saleswizard eagerly. "You can replay action ... slow everything down ... and they flash up a play-by-play breakdown if you need it. Bargain - ten Galleons each." **

"Woah," they all said longingly.

"If I was there with them, I'd buy us all a pair as a treat!" said James.

**: "Wish I hadn't bought this now," said Ron, gesturing at his dancing shamrock hat and gazing longingly at the Omnioculars.**

: "Three pairs," said Harry firmly to the wizard. 

James beamed.

**: "No - don't bother," said Ron, going red. He was always touchy about the fact that Harry, who had inherited a small fortune from his parents, had much more money than he did.   
**

**: "You won't be getting anything for Christmas," Harry told him, thrusting Omnioculars into his and Hermione's hands. "For about ten years, mind."   
**

**: "Fair enough," said Ron, grinning. **

**  
: "Oooh, thanks, Harry," said Hermione. "And I'll get us some programmes, look -" **

**  
: Their money bags considerably lighter, they went back to the tents. Bill, Charlie and Ginny were all sporting green rosettes too, and Mr Weasley was carrying an Irish flag. Fred and George had no souvenirs as they had given Bagman all their gold. **

"Why give him all of it?" asked Lily. 

"They'll want to invest it for some more for the joke shop," said James.

**: And then a deep, booming gong sounded somewhere beyond the woods, and, at once, green and red lanterns blazed into life in the trees, lighting a path to the pitch. **

James was dancing around and humming madly to himself, muttering, "Quidditch! It's about to start ... Woo-hoo! ... This is gonna be so good!"

**: "It's time!" said Mr Weasley, looking as excited as any of them. "Come on, let's go!" **

"What is it with men and Quidditch?" asked Lily.

"You wouldn't understand," said Sirius, "you're a girl." And he said this as though it was all the explanation she needed.

Sirius held up the book, clearly showing them that he was bored of reading.

James snatched the book off him at once.


	8. Chapter 8

**Disclaimer: Not mine!**

**Beta: loonygrl90**

**: CHAPTER EIGHT**

: THE QUIDDITCH WORLD CUP"Woo hoo!" they all cheered.

James shuddered with excitement, then pulled himself together and read: **: Clutching their purchases, Mr Weasley in the lead, they all hurried into the wood, following the lantern-lit trail. They could hear the sounds of thousands of people moving around them, shouts and laughter, snatches of singing. The atmosphere of feverish excitement was highly infectious; Harry couldn't stop grinning.**They all looked at James, who had been grinning for the past half-hour.

"What?" he said.  
**  
: They walked through the wood for twenty minutes,   
**  
"TWENTY MINUTES! THAT'S AGES!" moaned Sirius.  
**   
: talking and joking, until at last they emerged on the other side, and found themselves in the shadow of a gigantic stadium.**The book was shaking in James' hands.**: Though Harry could see only a fraction of the immense gold walls surrounding the pitch, he could tell that ten cathedrals would fit comfortably inside it.**

: "Seats a hundred thousand," said Mr Weasley, spotting the awestruck look on Harry's face. "Ministry task force of five hundred have been working on it all year. Muggle-Repelling Charms on every inch of it. Every time Muggles have got anywhere near here all year, they've suddenly remembered urgent appointments and had to dash away again ... Bless them," he added fondly, leading the way towards the nearest entrance, which was already surrounded by a swarm of shouting witches and wizards."STOP READING!" shouted James. "I NEED THE TOILET!"

The others all blinked and looked at each other.

"James, er, you're reading," said Remus, as though James had gone mad.

James looked at the book in his hands, and blinked. 

"So I am," he said, and he put the book down, and walked out of the room.

"He's gone bonkers," said Lily, in bewildered tones.

"Took him a while," said Sirius.

"Took him a while to what? asked Lily.

"To go to the loo." 

She continued to look puzzled.

"When James gets over-excited, he's off to the loo every ten minutes - I think this is a massive record for him!" explained Remus.

James raced back into the room and began reading again as though there had been no interruption.

**: "Prime seats!" said the Ministry witch at the entrance, when she checked their tickets. "Top Box! Straight upstairs, Arthur, as high as you can go."   
**  
"Excellent!" said James happily. "They'll have the best ever view!"

**: The stairs into the stadium were carpeted in rich purple. They clambered upwards with the rest of the crowd, which slowly filtered away through doors into the stands to their left and right. Mr Weasley's party kept climbing, and at last they reached the top of the staircase, and found themselves in a small box, set at the highest point of the stadium and situated exactly halfway between the golden goalposts. About twenty purple-and-gilt chairs stood in two rows here, and Harry, filing into the front seats with the Weasleys, looked down upon a scene the like of which he could never have imagined.**James was standing now, dancing round the room as he read.

The others kept having to duck out of his way to avoid being hit.**: A hundred thousand witches and wizards were taking their places in the seats which rose in levels around the long oval pitch. Everything was suffused with a mysterious golden light that seemed to come from the stadium itself. The pitch looked smooth as velvet from their lofty position. At either end of the pitch stood three goal hoops, fifty feet high; right opposite them, almost at Harry's eye level, was a gigantic blackboard. Gold writing kept dashing across it as though an invisible giant's hand was scrawling upon it and then wiping it off again; watching it, Harry saw that it was flashing advertisements across the pitch.  
**  
Sirius looked as if he was about to voice his boredom, but James glared at him hard, before he opened his mouth.

**: _The Bluebottle: A Broom for All the Family - safe, reliable and with In-built Anti-Burglar ... Mrs Skower's All-Purpose Magical Mess-Remover: No Pain, No Stain! ... Gladrags Wizardwear - London, Paris, Hogsmeade ..._ : Harry tore his eyes away from the sign and looked over his shoulder to see who else was sharing the box with them. So far it was empty, except for a tiny creature sitting in the second from last seat at the end of the row behind them.**"Probably a house-elf saving his master a seat," muttered Sirius.

**: The creature, whose legs were so short they stuck out in front of it on the chair, was wearing a tea-towel draped like a toga, and it had its face hidden in its hands. Yet those long, bat-like ears were oddly familiar ... **

: "_Dobby_?" said Harry incredulously.

: The tiny creature looked up and parted its fingers, revealing enormous brown eyes and a nose the exact size and shape of a large tomato. It wasn't Dobby - it was, however, unmistakably a house-elf, as Harry's friend Dobby had been. Harry had set Dobby free from his old owners, the Malfoy family."And what a massive favour you'd have done him, Harry!" said Sirius. "They are the most horrible family you could possibly imagine - probably the next after my parents."   
**   
: "Did sir just call me Dobby?" squeaked the elf curiously, from between its fingers. Its voice was higher even than Dobby's had been, a teeny, quivering squeak of a voice, and Harry suspected - though it was very hard to tell with a house-elf - that this one might just be female. Ron and Hermione spun around in their seats to look. Though they had heard a lot about Dobby from Harry, they had never actually met him. Even Mr Weasley looked around in interest.**

: "Sorry," Harry told the elf, "I just thought you were someone I knew." 

: "But I knows Dobby too, sir!" squeaked the elf."How extraordinary!" said Remus. "Of all the places to meet someone who knows Dobby, the mad house-elf, the Top Box in the Quidditch World Cup has to be one of the last!" **: She was shielding her face, as though blinded by  
**  
"Harry's good looks, inherited from his father," added James.

Lily looked at him.

"What? That's what it says!" 

"Give it here, you idiot! It's not what it says! Read it properly!" **: light, though the Top Box was not brightly lit. "My name is Winky, sir - and you, sir -" her dark brown eyes widened to the size of side plates as they rested upon Harry's scar, "you is surely Harry Potter!" **"He surely is!" said Sirius.

**: "Yeah, I am," said Harry.**

: "But Dobby talks of you all the time, sir!" she said, lowering her hands very slightly and looking awestruck.

: "How is he?" said Harry. "How's freedom suiting him?"

: "Ah, sir," said Winky, shaking her head, "ah, sir, meaning no disrespect, sir, but I is not sure you did Dobby a favour, sir, when you is setting him free." "He freed him from the Malfoy family!" snarled Sirius. "Personally, I think it's the best thing Harry could have possibly done for him!" 

"Damn straight!" **: "Why?" said Harry, taken aback. "What's wrong with him?"**

: "Freedom is going to Dobby's head, sir," said inky sadly. "Ideas above his station, sir. Can't get another position, sir." 

: "Why not?" said Harry.

: Winky lowered her voice by a half octave and whispered, "_He is wanting paying for his work, sir._""What's wrong with that?" asked Lily.

Sirius looked at her. "House-elves don't get paid. It's disrespectful to them." 

Lily looked at him as though he was stupid.**: "Paying?" said Harry blankly. "Well - why shouldn't he be paid?"**

: Winky looked quite horrified at the idea, and closed her fingers slightly so that her face was half-hidden again.

: "House-elves is not paid, sir!" she said in a muffles squeak. "No, no, no. I says to Dobby, I says, go find yourself a nice family and settle down, Dobby. He is getting up to all sorts of high jinks, sir, what is unbecoming to a house-elf. You goes racketing around like this, Dobby, I says, and next thing I hear you's up in front of the Department for the Regulation and Control of Magical Creatures, like some common goblin."  
  
"Goblins are cool," said James, sounding slightly affronted by Winky's remark.

**: "Well, it's about time he had a bit of fun," said Harry.**

: "House-elves is not supposed to have fun, Harry Potter," said Winky firmly, from behind her hands. "House-elves does what they is told.

"So Sirius and James wouldn't make good House-elves," said Lily.

They looked rather complimented.**: I is not liking heights at all, Harry Potter -" she glanced towards the edge of the box and gulped, "- but my master sends me to the Top Box and I comes, sir." **"That's not very nice," said Remus.**: "Why's he sent you up here, if he knows you don't like heights?" said Harry, frowning.**

: "Master - master wants me to save him a seat, Harry Potter, he is very busy," said Winky, tilting her head towards the empty space beside her. "Winky is wishing she is back in master's tent, Harry Potter, but Winky does what she is told, Winky is a good house-elf." "And your efforts are fantastic, I'm sure, Winky, but he still shouldn't have sent you up there when you don't like heights," said Remus.**: She gave the edge of the box another frightened look, and his her eyes completely again. Harry turned back to the others.**

: "So that's a house-elf?" Ron muttered. "Weird things, aren't they?"  
  
"They're not things!" snapped James.**: "Dobby was weirder," said Harry, fervently.**

: Ron pulled out his Omnioculars and started testing them, staring down into the crowd on the other side of the stadium.

"Wild!" he said, twiddling the replay knob on the side. "I can make that old bloke down there pick his nose again ... and again... and again ..." "And again ..." Sirius carried on, but Remus shut him up by throwing a pillow at him, while James and Lily laughed.**: Hermione, meanwhile, was skimming eagerly through her velvet-covered programme.**

: "'A display from the team mascots will precede the match'," she read aloud.

: "Oh, that's always worth watching," said Mr Weasley. "National teams bring creatures from their native land, you know, to put on a bit of a show." "Cool," said James.**: The box filled gradually around them over the next half hour. Mr Weasley kept shaking hands with people who were obviously very important wizards.**"Percy'll be in his element," muttered Sirius.**: Percy jumped to his feet so often that he looked as though he was trying to sit on a hedgehog. When Cornelius Fudge, the Minister for Magic himself, arrived, Percy bowed so low that his glasses fell off and shattered. Highly embarrassed, he repaired them with his wand, and thereafter remained in his seat, throwing jealous looks at Harry, whom Cornelius Fudge had greeted like an old friend. They had met before, and Fudge shook Harry's hand in a fatherly fashion, asked how he was, and introduced him to the wizards on either side of him.**They all looked at the book smugly, as though they were looking at Percy and bursting to go, "Ne ne ne-ne ne" at him.

**: "Harry Potter, you know," he loudly told the Bulgarian Minister, who was wearing splendid robes of black velvet trimmed with gold, and didn't seem to understand a word of English. "_Harry Potter_ ... oh, come on now, you know who he is ... the boy who survived You-Know-Who ... you _do_ know who he is -" **

: The Bulgarian wizard suddenly spotted Harry's scar and started gabbling loudly and excitedly, pointing at it."Right, Harry, you now point at something of his and start gabbling on about it!" said James hotly.

"That'll help, won't it!" said Lily.

"It'll make me feel better!" **: "Knew we'd get there in the end," said Fudge wearily to Harry. "I'm no great shakes at languages, I need Barty Crouch for this sort of thing. Ah, I see his house-elf's saving him a seat ... good job too, these Bulgarian blighters have been trying to cadge all the best places ... ah, here's Lucius!" **They all groaned.  
"Shouldn't that be, 'oh no, here's Lucius'?" said Sirius sullenly.**: Harry, Ron and Hermione turned quickly. Edging along the second row to three still-empty seats right behind Mr Weasley were none other than Dobby the house-elf's old owners - Lucius Malfoy, his son, Draco, and a woman Harry supposed must be Draco's mother.**"If she's got a look like she's just swallowed sour milk, then, yes, that's Narcissa," muttered Sirius.

James snorted.

**: Harry and Draco Malfoy had been enemies ever since their very first journey to Hogwarts. A pale boy with a pointed face and white-blond hair, Draco greatly resembled his father. His mother was blonde, too; tall and slim, she would have been nice looking if she hadn't been wearing a look that suggested there was a nasty smell under her nose.**

"Well, dear little Draco's there, isn't he?" said James.

The others laughed.  
**   
: "Ah, Fudge," said Mr Malfoy, holding out his hand as he reached the Minister for Magic. "How are you? I don't think you've met my wife, Narcissa? Or our son, Draco?" **"And if he had any sense, I'm sure he's never want to meet them," snarled Sirius.**: "How do you do, how do you do?" said Fudge, smiling and bowing to Mrs Malfoy. "And allow me to introduce you to Mr Oblansk - Obalonsk - Mr - well, he's the Bulgarian Minister for Magic, and he cant understand a word I'm saying anyway, so never mind. And let's see who else - you know Arthur Weasley, I daresay?"**"Why are you making them talk to people we like?" asked Sirius.**: It was a tense moment. Mr Weasley and Mr Malfoy looked at each other and Harry vividly recalled the last time that they had come face to face; it had been in Flourish and Blotts bookshop, and they had had a fight. Mr Malfoy's cold grey eyes swept over Mr Weasley, and then up and down the row.**

: "Good Lord, Arthur," he said softly. "What did you have to sell to get seats in the Top Box? Surely your house wouldn't have fetched this much?""And I wonder how much money you've spent to sweet-talk you way into Fudge's good books!" snapped James.

Sirius was scowling darkly at the book.

**: Fudge, who wasn't listening, said, "Lucius has just given a _very_ generous contribution to St Mungo's Hospital for Magical Maladies and Injuries, Arthur. He's here as my guest." **"He's always been a smarmy, slimy git," muttered Sirius darkly.**: "How - how nice," said Mr Weasley, with a very strained smile.**"Punch him," suggested Sirius.

"Sirius, although funny as that would be, I don't think it will win Arthur very many points with the Minister," said Remus.**: Mr Malfoy's eyes had returned to Hermione, who went slightly pink, but stared determinedly back at him.**"That's it, Hermione," said Sirius. "You show the git you're not afraid of him." 

"Stupid man - being an arse because she's a Muggle-born!" muttered James angrily.  
**   
: Harry knew exactly what was making Mr Malfoy's lip curl. The Malfoys prided themselves on being pure-bloods; in other words, they considered anyone of Muggle descent, like Hermione, second-class.  
**  
"Which is what Malfoy is in reality, because he's a Voldemort supporter!" snapped James.**: However, under the gaze of the Minister for Magic, Mr Malfoy didn't dare say anything. He nodded sneeringly to Mr Weasley, and continued down the line to his seats. Draco shot Harry, Ron and Hermione one contemptuous look, then settled himself between his mother and father.**

: "Slimy gits," Ron muttered, as he, Harry and Hermione turned to face the pitch again."Damn straight!" said the boys together.  
**   
: Next moment, Ludo Bagman had charged into the box.**

: "Everyone ready?" he said, his round face gleaming like a great, excited Edam. "Minister - ready to go?" 

: "Ready when you are, Ludo," said Fudge comfortably.

: Ludo whipped out his wand, directed it at his own throat and said "_Sonorus_!" and then spoke over the roar of sound that was now filling the packed stadium; his voice echoed over them, booming into every corner of the stands: "Ladies and gentlemen ... welcome! Welcome to the final of the four hundred and twenty-second Quidditch World Cup!"   
  
James and Sirius jumped up and both cheered and hugged and shouted "Woo hoo!" every few seconds.

"God! Imagine what they'd be like if they were really there," Lily said to Remus, but he wasn't listening, as he'd jumped up and joined in with them.

**: The spectators screamed and clapped. Thousands of flags waved, adding their discordant national anthems to the racket. The huge blackboard opposite them was wiped clear of its last message (_Bertie Botts' Every Flavour Beans - a Risk with Every Mouthful!_) and now showed BULGARIA: ZERO, IRELAND: ZERO.**"Well, that won't be on the board for long on Ireland's side," said James excitedly.**: "And now, without further ado, allow me to introduce ... the Bulgarian Team Mascots!"**

: The right-hand side of the stands, which was a solid block of scarlet, roared its approval.

"I wonder what they've brought?" said Mr Weasley, leaning forwards in his seat.

"Aaah!" He suddenly whipped off his glasses and polished them hurriedly on his robes. "_Veela!_"

: "What are Veel-?"  
  
"What's Veela?" asked Lily, puzzled.

The boys all smiled sheepishly.**: But a hundred Veela were now gliding onto the pitch, and Harry's question was answered for him. Veela were women ... the most beautiful women Harry had ever seen ... except they they weren't - they couldn't be - human. This puzzled Harry for a moment, while he tried to guess what exactly they could be; what could make their skin shine moon-bright like that, or their white-gold hair fan out behind them without wind ...   
**  
The boys all let out moans of longing.

Lily snorted in disgust, "For God's sake - men are so shallow!" 

"You know something, that's the nicest thing you've ever said about us, Lily," said Sirius.**: but then the music started, and Harry stopped worrying about them not being human - in fact, he stopped worrying about anything at all.**

: The Veela had started to dance, and Harry's mind had gone completely and blissfully blank. All that mattered in the world was that he kept watching the Veela, because if they stopped dancing, terrible things would happen ... 

: And as the Veela danced faster and faster, wild, half-formed thoughts started chasing through Harry's dazed mind. He wanted to do something very impressive, right now.  
  
"Are all men just the same or something?" asked Lily in disgust.

The boys all shrugged simultaneously.**: Jumping from the box into the stadium seemed a good idea ... **"_WHAT!_" screamed Lily in panic. "HARRY POTTER - HAVE YOU COMPLETELY LOST ALL YOUR SENSES!"

"_Now_ she understands!" said Sirius.

"Of course he has - that's the idea," said James. "Don't worry, Lily, I'm sure no one will let him jump off the stadium." **: but would it be good enough?**Lily was about to start off on another rant, but James put his hand over her mouth to shut her up.

**: "Harry, what _are_ you doing?" said Hermione's voice from a long way off.**

: The music stopped. Harry blinked. He was standing up, and one of his legs was resting on the wall of the box. Next to him, Ron was frozen in an attitude that looked as though he was about to dive from a springboard.

The boys burst out laughing.

Lily looked utterly confused.

**: Angry yells were filling the stadium. The crowd didn't want the Veela to go. Harry was with them; he would, of course, be supporting Bulgaria, and he wondered vaguely why he had a large green shamrock pinned to his chest. Ron, meanwhile, was absent-mindedly shredding the shamrocks on his hat. Mr Weasley, smiling slightly, leant over to Ron and tugged the hat out of his hands.**

: "You'll be wanting that," he said, "once Ireland have had their say." 

: "Huh?" said Ron, staring open-mouthed at the Veela, who had now lined up along one side of the pitch.

: Hermione made a loud tutting noise. She reached up and pulled Harry back to his seat. "_Honestly!_" she said.They all chuckled.**: "And now," roared Ludo Bagman's voice, "kindly put your wands in the air ... for the Irish National Team Mascots!" **

: Next moment, what seemed to be a great green-and-gold comet had come zooming into the stadium. It did one circuit of the stadium, then split into two smaller comets, each hurtling towards goalposts. A rainbow arced suddenly across the pitch, connecting the two balls of light. The crowd "oooohed" and "aaaaahed", as though at a firework display. Now the rainbow faded and the balls of light reunited and merged; they had formed a great shimmering shamrock, which rose up into the sky and began to soar over the stands. Something like golden rain seemed to be falling from it -   
  
"Woah ... cool!" they all said.

**: "Excellent!" yelled Ron, as the shamrock soared over their heads, and heavy gold coins rained from it, bouncing off their heads and seats. Squinting up at the shamrock, Harry realised that it was actually composed of thousands of tiny bearded men with red waistcoats, each carrying a minute lamp of gold or green.**

: "Leprechauns!" said Mr Weasley, over the tumultuous applause of the crowd, many of whom were still fighting and rummaging round under their chairs to retrieve the gold.

: "There you go," Ron yelled happily, stuffing a fistful of gold coins into Harry's hand. "For the Omnioculars! Now you've got to buy me a Christmas present, ha!" 

: The great shamrock dissolved, the leprechauns drifted down onto the pitch on the opposite side from the Veela, and settled themselves cross-legged to watch the match.

: "And now ladies and gentlemen, kindly welcome - the Bulgarian National Quidditch Team! I give you Dimitrov!"James rubbed his hands together in anticipated excitement.

**: A scarlet-clad figure on a broomstick, moving so fast it was blurred, shot out onto the pitch from an entrance far below, to wild applause from the Bulgarian supporters.**

: "Ivanova!" 

: A second scarlet-robed player zoomed out. 

: "Zograf! Levski! Vulchanov! Volkov! Aaaaaaand - _Krum_!" 

: "That's him, that's him!" yelled Ron, following Krum with his Omnioculars; Harry quickly focused his own.

: Viktor Krum was thin, dark and sallow-skinned, with a large curved nose and thick black eyebrows. He looked like an overgrown bird of prey. It was hard to believe he was only eighteen.

: "And now, please greet - the Irish National Quidditch Team!" yelled Bagman. "Presenting - Connolly! Ryan! Troy! Mullet! Moran! Quigley! Aaaaaand - _Lynch_!" "The match is about to start, Lily! It's about to start!" said James in a high-pitched voice.

Lily smiled at him.  
**  
: Seven green blurs swept onto the pitch; Harry spun a small dial on the side of his Omnioculars, and showed the players down enough to read the word "Firebolt" on each of their brooms, and see their names, embroidered in silver upon their backs.**

: "And here all the way from Egypt, our referee, acclaimed Chairwizard of the International Association of Quidditch, Hassan Mostafa!" The boys all jumped up and began cheering and hugging each other in delight.

**: A small and skinny wizard, completely bald but with a moustache to rival Uncle Vernon's, wearing robes of pure gold to match the stadium, strode out onto the pitch. A silver whistle was protruding from under the moustache, and he was carrying a large wooden crate under one arm, his broomstick under the other. Harry spun the speed dial on his Omnioculars back to normal, watching closely as Mostafa mounted his broomstick and kicked the crate open - four balls burst into the air: the scarlet Quaffle, the two black Bludgers and (Harry saw it for the briefest moment, before it sped out of sight) the minuscule, winged, Golden Snitch. With a sharp blast on his whistle, Mostafa shot into the air after the balls.**"WOO HOO!" they all screamed.**: "Theeeeeeeey're OFF!" screamed Bagman. "And it's Mullet! Troy! Moran! Dimitrov! Back to Mullet! Troy! Levski! Moran!" **

: It was Quidditch as Harry had never seen it played before. He was pressing his Omnioculars so hard to his eyes that his glasses were cutting into the bridge of his nose. The speed of the players was incredible - the Chasers were throwing the Quaffle to each other so fast that Bagman only had time to say their names. Harry spun the "slow" dial on the right of his Omnioculars again, pressed the "play by play" button on the top and he was immediately watching in slow motion, while glittering purple letters flashed across the lenses, and the noise of the crowd pounded against his eardrums.

: "_Hawkshead Attacking Formation" _he read, as he watched the three Irish Chasers zoom closely together, Troy in the centre, slightly ahead of Mullet and Moran, bearing down upon the Bulgarians. "_Porskoff Ploy_" flashed up next, as Troy made as though to dart upwards with the Quaffle, drawing away the Bulgarian Chaser Ivanova, and dropping the Quaffle to Moran. One of the Bulgarian Beaters, Volkov, swung hard at a passing Bludger with his small club, knocking it into Moran's path; Moran ducked to avoid the Bludger and dropped the Quaffle; and Levski, soaring beneath, caught it - 

: "TROY SCORES!" roared Bagman, "But the other Bulgarian guy's got the Quaffle?" said James confused.**: and the stadium shuddered with a roar of applause and cheers. "Ten-zero to Ireland!"**

: "What?" Harry yelled, looking wildly around through his Omnioculars. "But Levski's got the Quaffle!": "Harry, if you're not going to watch at normal speed, you're going to miss things!" shouted Hermione, who was dancing up and down, waving her arms in the air while Troy did a lap of honour of the pitch. Harry looked quickly over the top of his Omnioculars, and saw that the leprechauns watching from the side-lines had all risen into the air again, and formed the great glittering shamrock. Across the pitch, the Veela were watching them sulkily.

"Harry - you've got to watch at normal speed!" said James, as though Harry had committed a dreadful crime. "We can't miss a thing when it comes to a Quidditch final!"

**: Furious with himself, Harry spun his speed dial back to normal as play resumed.**

: Harry knew enough about Quidditch to see that the Irish players were superb."Ireland's always got fantastic Chasers - I'm sure they're bred there specially!" said Sirius.

"I've got Irish blood in me - I must have - I'm a fantastic Chaser," said James.

"So by that logic, you must have troll blood in you as well because sometimes you're a fantastic idiot as well," said Lily.

James stuck his tongue out at her.**: They worked as a seamless team, appearing to read each other's minds by the way they positioned themselves, and the rosette on Harry's chest kept squeaking their names: "_Troy - Mullet - Moran_!" And within ten minutes, Ireland had scored twice more, bringing their lead to thirty-zero, and causing a thunderous tide of roars and applause from the green-clad supporters.**"WOO HOO!" they all cheered.**: The match became still faster, but more brutal. Volkov and Vulchanov, the Bulgarian Beaters, were whacking the Bludgers as fiercely as possible at the Irish Chasers, and were starting to prevent them using some of their best moves; twice they were forced to scatter, and then, finally, Ivanova managed to break through their ranks, dodge the Keeper, Ryan, and score Bulgaria's first goal.**

: "Fingers in your ears!" bellowed Mr Weasley, as the Veela started to dance in celebration. Harry screwed up his eyes, too; he wanted to keep his mind on the game.  
  
"Very good, Harry!" Good boy," said James over and over again, until Remus shut him up with a pillow, which James threw back at him.  
**   
: After a few seconds, he chanced a glance at the pitch. The Veela had stopped dancing, and Bulgaria were again in possession of the Quaffle.**

: "Dimitrov! Levski! Dimitrov! Ivanova - oh, I say!" roared Bagman.  
  
"What?" said James, jumping up at once. "What's happened?" **: One hundred thousand wizards and witches gasped as the two Seekers, Krum and Lynch, plummeted through the centre of the Chasers, so fast that it looked as though they had just jumped from aeroplanes without parachutes. Harry followed their descent through his Omnioculars, squinting to see where the Snitch was - **"Unless one of them is pulling ... _The Wronski Feint_!" said James dramatically.

"What's the Wronky Faint?" asked Lily.

James flinched at her mispronunciation, as though it had whipped him, "The Wronski Feint! It's a diving technique that lets one of the Seekers crash after a long dive."

"What's the point in that - what a waste of time - you could've spent that time looking for the Snitch!" she said.

"What? By disabling one of the players for ten minutes, if gives you a chance to look for the Snitch without any worries that the other player will find it before you - you only look for the Snitch, and not at the other player!"

"Oooooooh," said Lily.

**: "They're going to crash!" screamed Hermione next to Harry.**

: She was half-right - at the very last second, Viktor rum pulled out of the dive and spiralled off. Lynch, however, hit the ground with a dull thud that could be heard throughout the stadium. A huge groan rose from the Irish seats.  
  
"There demonstrates a Wronski Feint," said James, gesturing his hands towards the book.**: "Fool!" moaned Mr Weasley. "Krum was feinting!"**

: "It's time out!" yelled Bagman's voice. "As trained medi-wizards hurry onto the pitch to examine Aidan Lynch!"

: "He'll be OK, he only got ploughed!" Charlie said reassuringly to Ginny, who was hanging over the side of the box, looking horror-struck. "Which is what Krum was after, of course ..." 

: Harry hastily pressed the "replay" and "play by play" buttons on his Omnioculars, twiddled the speed dial, and put them back up to his eyes.

: He watched as Krum and Lynch dived again in slow motion. "_Wronski Feint - dangerous Seeker diversion_" read the shiny purple lettering across his lenses. He saw Krum's face contorted with concentration as he pulled out of the dive just in time, while Lynch was flattened, and he understood - Krum hadn't seen the Snitch at all, he was just making Lynch copy him."Of course - to put him out of action for five minutes," said James, as though it was the most obvious thing in the world.**: Harry had never seen anyone fly like that; Krum hardly looked as though he was using a broomstick at all; he moved so easily through the air that it looked as though he was unsupported and weightless. Harry turned his Omnioculars back to normal, and focused them on Krum. He was circling high above Lynch, who was now being revived by mediwizards with cups of potion. Harry, focusing still more closely upon Krum's face, saw his dark eyes darting all over he ground a hundred feet below. He was using the time while Lynch was revived to look for the Snitch without interference.**"Why is this tactic so hard for everyone to grasp!" said James in exasperation.

"Because everyone's not an avidly obsessed Quidditch nut like you are," said Lily.**: Lynch got to his feet at last, to loud cheers from the green-clad supporters, mounted his Firebolt and kicked back off into the air. His revival seemed to give Ireland new heart. When Mostafa blew his whistle again, the Chasers moved into action with a skill unrivalled by anything Harry had seen so far.**

: After fifteen more fast and furious minutes, Ireland had pulled ahead by ten more goals. They were now leading by one hundred and thirty points to ten, and the game was starting to get dirtier."Excellent," said Sirius, rubbing his hands together. "This is when the fouls come into play!"

**: As Mullet shot towards the goalpost yet again, clutching the Quaffle tightly under her arm, the Bulgarian Keeper, Zograf, flew out to meet her. Whatever happened was over so so quickly Harry didn't catch it, **"Awww," whined Sirius. **: but a scream of rage from the Irish crowd, and Mostafa's long, shrill whistle blast, told him it had been a foul.**

: "And Mostafa takes the Bulgarian Keeper to task for cobbing - excessive use of elbows!" Bagman informed the roaring spectators. "And - yes, it's a penalty to Ireland!"

: The leprechauns, who had risen angrily into the air like a swarm of glittering hornets when Mullet had been fouled, now darted together to form the words "HA HA HA!".   
  
They all burst out laughing.

**: The Veela on the other side of the pitch leapt to their feet, tossed their hair angrily and started to dance again.**

: As one, the Weasley boys and Harry stuffed their fingers in their ears, but Hermione, who hadn't bothered, was soon tugging on Harry's arm. He turned to look at her, and she pulled his fingers impatiently out of his ears.

: "Look at the referee!" she said, giggling.

: Harry looked down at the pitch. Hassan Mostafa had landed right in front of the dancing Veela, and was acting very oddly indeed. He was flexing his muscles and smoothing his moustache excitedly.  
  
The boys laughed. 

"Well, they are highly attractive women," muttered James.

Lily glared at him.  
**  
: "Now we can't have that!" said Bagman, though he sounded highly amused. "Somebody slap the referee!"**

: A mediwizard came tearing across the pitch, his fingers stuffed in his own ears, and kicked Mostafa hard on the shins. Mostafa seemed to come to himself; Harry watching through his Omnioculrs again, saw that he looked exceptionally embarrassed, and was shouting at the Veela, who had stopped dancing and were looking mutinous.

: "And unless I'm much mistaken. Mostafa is actually attempting to send off the Bulgarian Team Mascots" said Bagman's voice. "Now _there's_ something we haven't seen before ... oh, this could turn nasty ..."   
  
"Excellent!" said Sirius.

"Brilliant! Sending off the mascots! That's a new one - Harry's there witnessing something entirely new in Quidditch history!" said James excitedly.

**: It did: **"Excellent! Fight, fight, fight, fight!" said Sirius.**: the Bulgarian Beaters, Volkov and Vulchanov, had landed either side of Mostafa, and began arguing furiously with him, gesticulating towards the leprechauns, who had now gleefully formed the words "HEE HEE HEE". **They all laughed again.

"Ah the cheek of the leprechauns," said James, wiping his eyes.  
**   
: Mostafa was now impressed by the Bulgarians' arguments, however; he was jabbing his finger in the air, clearly telling team to get flying again, and when they refused, he gave two short blasts on his whistle.**

: "_Two_ penalties for Ireland!" shouted Bagman, and the Bulgarian crowd howled with anger.  
  
Sirius was snickering madly and rubbing his hands.  
**   
: "And Volkaov and Vulchanov had better get back on those brooms ... yes ... there they go ... and Troy takes the Quaffle ..."**

: Play had now reached a level of ferocity beyond anything they had yet seen. The Beaters on both sides were acting without mercy: Volkov and Vulchanov in particular seemed not to care whether their clubs made contact with Bludger or human, as they swung them violently through the air. Dimitrov shot straight at Moran, who had the Quaffle, nearly knocking her off her broom.

: "_Foul_!" roared the Irish supporters as one, all standing up in a great wave of green.

: "Foul!" echoed Ludo Bagman's magically magnified voice. "Dimitrov skins Moran - deliberately flying to collide there - and it's got to be another penalty - yes, there's the whistle!"

: The leprechauns had risen into the air again and, this time, they formed a giant hand, which was making a very rude sign indeed across the pitch towards the Veela. At this, the Veela lost control. They launched themselves across the pitch, and began throwing what seemed like handfuls of fire at the leprechauns. Watching through his Omnioculars, Harry saw that they didn't look remotely beautiful now. On the contrary, their faces were elongating into sharp, cruel-beaked bird heads, and long, scaly wings were bursting from their shoulders - "Urgh," said the boys.

"Bet they're not the most beautiful things in the world now, eh?" said Lily, eyebrows raised.**: "And _that_, boys," yelled Mr Weasley over the tumult of the crowd below, "is why you should never go for looks alone!"**

: Ministry wizards were flooding onto the field to separate the Veela and the leprechauns, but with little success; meanwhile, the pitched battle below was nothing to the one above. Harry turned this way and that, staring through his Omnioculars, as the Quaffle changed hands with the speed of a bullet - 

: "Leviski - Dimitrov - Moran - Troy - Mullet - Ivanova - Moran again - Moran - MORAN SCORES!" "WOO HOO!" they all cheered.

**: But the cheers of the Irish supporters were barely heard over the shrieks of the Veela, the blasts now issuing from the Ministry members' wands, and the furious roars of the Bulgarians. The game recommenced immediately; now Levski had the Quaffle, now Dimitrov - **

: The Irish Beater Quigley swung heavily at a passing Bludger, and hit it as hard as possible towards Krum, who did not duck quickly enough. It hit him hard in the face.They all winced.

Remus actually rubbed his face, as though he'd felt the pain of it.  
**  
: There was a deafening groan from the crowd; Krum's nose looked broken, there was blood everywhere, but Hassan Mostafa didn't blow his whistle. He had become distracted, and Harry couldn't blame him; one of the Veela had thrown a handful of fire and set his broom alight.**"Not good," said Lily.  
**  
: Harry wanted someone to realise that Krum was injured; even though he was supporting Ireland, Krum was the most exciting player on the pitch. Ron obviously felt the same.**

: "Time out! Ah, come on, he can't play like that, look at him -" 

: "_Look at Lynch!_" Harry yelled.  
  
There was a loud intake of breath.  
**   
: For the Irish Seeker had suddenly gone into a dive, and Harry was quite sure that this was no Wronski Feint; this was the real thing ... **

: "He's seen the Snitch!" Harry shouted. "He's seen it! Look at him go!"   
  
They were all red in the face, as none of them dared breathe through excitement.**: Half the crowd seemed to have realised what was happening, the Irish supporters rose in a great wave of green, screaming their Seeker on ... but Krum was on his tail. How he could see where he was going, Harry had no idea; there were flecks of blood flying through the air behind him, but he was drawing level with Lynch now, as the pair of them hurtled towards the ground again - **

: "They're going to crash!" shrieked Hermione.

: "They're not!" roared Ron.

: "Lynch is!" yelled Harry.

: And he was right - for the second time, Lynch hit the ground with tremendous force, and was immediately stampeded by a horde of angry Veela.  
  
They all winced again.**: "The Snitch, where's the Snitch!" bellowed Charlie, along the row.**

: "He's got it - Krum's got it - it's all over!" shouted Harry.  
  
"Awww," they all moaned.  
"That was quicker than I'd hoped," said James.

"Krum the Great got the Snitch though. Sounds like Ireland should get a new Seeker," said Sirius.

**: Krum, his red robes shining with blood from his nose, **"How can they tell his robes are bloody if they're red?" asked Sirius.

"They're bound to be bloody if he's flying round with a broken nose," said Remus. 

"Yes, but they're saying that they are bloody, meaning that they can see they are." 

"It's probably an educated guess!" 

"Who cares!" said James.**: was rising gently into the air, his fist held high, a glint of gold in his hand.**

: The scoreboard was flashing BULGARIA: ONE HUNDRED AND SIXTY, IRELAND: ONE HUNDRED AND SEVENTY across the crowd, who didn't seem to have realised what had happened.  
  
"What, Ireland won?" asked Sirius.

"The Snitch has been caught, hasn't it? Of course Ireland won!" said James delightedly.**: Then, slowly, as though a great jumbo jet was revving up, the rumbling from the Ireland supporters grew louder and louder and erupted into screams of delight.**

: "IRELAND WIN!" shouted Bagman, who, like the Irish, seemed to have been taken aback by the sudden end of the match. "KRUM GETS THE SNITCH - BUT IRELAND WIN - good Lord, I don't think any of us were expecting that!"   
  
They all were hugging one another and dancing round to Ireland's victory.**: "What did he catch the Snitch for?" Ron bellowed, even as he jumped up and down, applauding with his hands over his head. "He ended it when Ireland were a hundred and sixty points ahead, the idiot!"**

: "He knew they were never going to catch up," Harry shouted back over all the noise, also applauding loudly, "the Irish Chasers were too good ... he wanted to end it on his terms, that's all ..." "The Irish Chasers must still be amazing, then," said James happily. "Excellent!"   
**   
: "He was very brave, wasn't he?" Hermione said, leaning forward to watch Krum land, and the swarm of mediwizards blasting a path through the battling leprechauns and Veela to get to him. "He looks a terrible mess ..." **"Awww, Hermione seems taken to him now," said Lily, giggling.**: Harry put his Omnioculars to his eyes again. It was hard to see what was happening below, because the leprechauns were zooming delightedly all over the pitch, but he could just make out Krum, surrounded by mediwizards. He looked surlier than ever, and refused to let them mop him up.**"Why not?"asked Lily, startled.

"Probably because they lost, or it's some sort of pride of being able to take his injuries or something like that."

"That's just stupid." **: His team-mates were around him, shaking their heads and looking dejected; a short way away, the Irish players were dancing gleefully in a shower of gold descending from the stadium, the Irish national anthem blared from all sides; the Veela were shrinking back to their usual, beautiful selves now, though looking dispirited and forlorn.**"Never mind, there'll be other Quidditch matches," said Lily.

"Damn straight!" said James.

**: "Vell, ve fought bravely," said a gloomy voice behind Harry. He looked around; it was the Bulgarian Minister for Magic.**They all snorted, trying to contain their laughter, as though the British Minister could hear them.**: "You can speak English!" said Fudge, sounding outraged. "And you've been letting me mime everything all day!"**

"Vell, it vos funny," said the Bulgarian minister, shrugging.  
  
They couldn't help it; they burst out laughing.**: "And as the Irish team perform a lap of honour, flanked by their mascots, the Quidditch World Cup itself is brought into the Top Box!" roared Bagman.**"Fantastic!" said James delightedly. "They'll get a good look at it!"   
**   
: Harry's eyes were suddenly dazzled by a blinding white light, as the Top Box was magically illuminated so that everyone in the stands could see the inside. Squinting towards the entrance, he saw two panting wizards carrying into the box a vast golden cup, which they handed to Cornelius Fudge, who was still looking very disgruntled that he'd been using sign language all day for nothing.**

: "Let's have a really loud hand for the gallant losers - Bulgaria!" Bagman shouted.

: And up the stairs came the seven defeated Bulgarian players. The crowd below were applauding appreciatively; Harry could see thousands and thousands of Omniocular lenses flashing and winking in their direction.

: One by one, the Bulgarians filed between the rows of seats in the box, and Bagman called out the name of each as they shook hands with their own Minister and then with Fudge. Krum, who was last in line, looked a real mess. Two black eyes were blooming spectacularly on his bloody face. He was still holding the Snitch. Harry noticed that he looked much less co-ordinated on the ground. He was slightly duck-footed and distinctly round-shouldered."There goes this J. K. Rowling's reputation of nice descriptions," muttered Sirius sarcastically.**: But when Krum's name was announced, the whole stadium gave him a resounding, ear-splitting roar.**

: And then came the Irish team. Aidan Lynch was being supported by Moran and Connolly; the second crash seemed to have dazed him and his eyes looked strangely unfocused. But he grinned happily as Troy and Quigley lifted the Cup into the air and the crowd below thundered their approval. Harry's hands were numb with clapping."Oh, is that what it is," said Sirius. "I just thought hands always did that when you clapped loads."

Remus threw a pillow at him.

**: At last, when the Irish team had left the box to perform another lap of honour on their brooms (Aidan Lynch on the back of Connolly's, clutching hard around his waist and still grinning in a bemused sort of way), Bagman pointed his wand at his throat and muttered "_Quietus_". **

: They'll be talking about this one for years," he said hoarsely, "Well we'll be talking about it before it's actually happened, so yeah ..." said James.

Sirius looked at him with a look of confusion.

James just shrugged back, looking just as confused.**: "a really unexpected twist, that ... shame it couldn't have lasted longer ... ah yes ... yes, I owe you ... how much?"**

: For Fred and George had just scrambled over the backs of their seats, and were standing in front of Ludo Bagman with broad grins on their faces, their hands outstretched.  
  
"Of course, they'll've won their bet!" said James.

"Excellent - let the mischief begin!" said Sirius.

"Begin?"suggested Remus. "You mean continue with a vengeance!"

James kept the book as he was clearly enjoying reading the experience. Plus, he'd never get to share the real event with Harry, reading it out to his friends felt like the nearest thing he'd get to sharing it with those he loves.


	9. Chapter 9

**Disclaimer: Don't think so.**

**Beta: loonygrl90**

**: CHAPTER NINE**

**: THE DARK MARK**

"OK, I don't like the sound of that," said Lily anxiously.

James looked at the book, as though the words would form some kind of explanation.

Sirius was growling.

**: "Don't tell your mother you've been gambling," Mr Weasley implored Fred and George, as they all made their way slowly down the purple-carpeted stairs.**

**: "Don't worry, Dad," said Fred gleefully, "we've got big plans for this money, we don't want it confiscated."**

**: Mr Weasley looked for a moment as thought he was going to ask what these big plans were, but seemed to decide, upon reflection, that he didn't want to know.**

They all laughed.

Sirius and James looked at each other and grinned, as though they knew what it was like to have put someone in that situation.

**: They were soon caught up in the crowds now flooding out of the stadium and back to their campsites. Raucous singing was borne towards them on the night air as they retraced their steps along the lantern-lit path, and the leprechauns kept shooting over their heads, cackling and waving their lanterns. When they finally reached the tents, nobody felt like sleeping at all and, given the level of noise around them, Mr Weasley agreed that they could all have one last cup of cocoa together before turning in. They were soon arguing enjoyably about the match; Mr Weasley got drawn into a disagreement about cobbing with Charlie, and it was only when Ginny fell asleep right at the tiny table and spilled hot chocolate all over the floor that Mr Weasley called a halt to the verbal replays, and insisted that everyone went to bed. Hermione and Ginny went into the next tent, and Harry and the rest of the Weasleys changed into pyjamas and clambered into their bunks. From the other side of the campsite they could still hear much singing, and the odd echoing bang.**

"I'd give anything to be there with Harry," said James sighing. "We'd stay up all night drinking chocolate and toasting marshmallows talking of the match if he'd wanted."

Lily smiled, "As long as there was room for his mother in the argument."

James smiled back at her, "Damn right!"

**: "Oh, I am glad I'm not on duty," muttered Mr Weasley sleepily, "I wouldn't fancy having to go and tell the Irish they've got to stop celebrating." **"I think you'd get hexed," said Sirius.

"Probably," said James, "'Cause you'd be there with them celebrating!" **: Harry, who was on a top bunk above Ron, lay staring up at the canvas ceiling of the tent, watching the glow of an occasional leprechaun lantern flying overhead, and picturing again some of Krum's more spectacular moves. He was itching to get back on his own Firebolt and try out the Wronski Feint ... somehow Oliver Wood had never managed to convey with all his wriggling diagrams what that move was supposed to look like ... Harry saw himself in robes that had his name on the back, and imagined the sensation of hearing a hundred-thousand-strong crowd roar, as Ludo Bagman's voice echoed throughout the stadium, "I give you ... _Potter_!"   
**  
James smiled proudly.

"The worrying thing is James, you'd do that as well," said Remus fondly.**: Harry never knew whether he had actually dropped off to sleep or not - his fantasies of flying like Krum might well have slipped into actual dreams - all he knew was that, quite suddenly, Mr Weasley was shouting.**Sirius sat up quickly.

James gripped the book tighter.

The all exchanged a worried glance.**: "Get up! Ron - Harry - come on now, get up, this is urgent!" **

: Harry sat up quickly and the top of his head hit the canvas.

: "'S'matter?" he said.

: Dimly, he could tell that something was wrong. The noises in the campsite had changed. The singing had stopped. He could hear screams, and the sound of people running."What the hell is going on?" asked Sirius, sounding deeply concerned.

"I dunno, but I don't like the sound of it, all the same," said James tensely.

"They'll be fine," said Remus. "As long as they do what Mr Weasley tells them to, they'll be fine."

**: He slipped down from the bunk, and reached for his clothes, but Mr Weasley, who had pulled on his jeans over his own pyjamas, said, "No time, Harry - just grab a jacket and get outside - quickly!" **

: Harry did as he was told, and hurried out of the tent, Ron at his heels.

: By the light of the few fires that were still burning, he could see people running away into the woods, fleeing something that was moving across the field towards them, something that was emitting odd flashes of light and noises like gunfire. Loud jeering, roars of laughter and drunken yells were drifting towards them; then came a burst of strong green light, which illuminated the scene.

: A crowd of wizards, tightly packed and moving together with wands pointing straight upwards, was marching slowly across the field. Harry squinted at them ... they didn't seem to have faces ... then he realised that their heads were hooded and their faces masked.James' expression then changed to one of total worry, which startled Lily frightfully.

"What? What's the matter?" she spluttered.

But James merely continued to read: **: High above them, floating along in mid-air, four struggling figures were being contorted into grotesque shaped. It was as though the masked wizards on the ground were puppeteers, and the people above them were marionettes operated by the invisible strings that rose from the wands into the air. Two of the figures were very small.  
**  
"What are they?" asked Lily, looking at the others.

Sirius was cracking his knuckles, however, and seemed not to hear anything, as he muttered darkly under his breath.

Remus had a look on his face that looked as though he was about to be sick.**: More wizards were joining the marching group, laughing and pointing up at the floating bodies. Tents crumpled and fell as the marching crowd swelled. Once or twice Harry saw one of the marchers blast a tent out of his way with his wand. Several caught fire. The screaming grew louder.  
**  
"That means they're getting nearer!" said Lily anxiously. "To the woods, it'll be harder to find you all there!" **: The floating people were suddenly illuminated as they passed over a burning tent, and Harry recognised one of them - Mr Roberts, the campsite manager.**"The Muggles," said James in outrage. "They've got some nerve! After they've let us stay in their field!"

**: The other three looked as though they might be his wife and children. **"Disgusting," said Remus, just as angrily as James.  
**   
: One of the marchers below flipped Mrs Roberts upside-down with his wand; her nightdress fell down to reveal voluminous drawers; she struggled to cover herself up as the crowd below her screeched and hooted with glee.**Remus looked so sickened, that it was if he was thinking that no person on this earth should be revolted enough to behave in such a manner. But unfortunately he was wrong.

James' face was red with anger.

**: "That's sick," Ron muttered, watching the smallest Muggle child, who had begun to spin like a top, sixty feet above the ground, his head flopping limply from side to side. "That is really sick ..."**"Damn straight!" they all said angrily.

**: Hermione and Ginny came hurrying towards them, pulling coats over their nightdresses, with Mr Weasley right behind them. At the same moment, Bill, Charlie and Percy emerged from the boys' tent, fully dressed, with their sleeves rolled up and their wands out.**

: "We're going to help the Ministry," Mr Weasley shouted over all the noise, rolling up his own sleeves. "You lot - get into the woods, and _stick together_. I'll come and fetch you when we've sorted this out!"

: Bill, Charlie and Percy were already sprinting away towards the oncoming marchers; Mr Weasley tore after them. Ministry wizards were dashing from every direction towards the source of the trouble. The crowd beneath the Roberts family was coming ever closer."GET OUT OF THERE!" shrieked Lily hysterically.  
**   
: "C'mon," said Fred, grabbing Ginny's hand and starting to pull her towards the wood. Harry, Ron, Hermione and George followed. They all looked back as they reached the trees. The crowd beneath the Roberts family was larger than ever; they could see Ministry wizards trying to get through it to the hooded wizards in the centre, but they were having great difficulty. It looked as though they were scared to perform any spell that might make the Roberts family fall.**"So conjure up some bouncing cushions, idiots!" said James urgently.  
**   
: The coloured lanterns that had lit the path to the stadium had been extinguished. Dark figures were blundering through the trees; children were crying; anxious shouts and panicked voices were reverberating around them in the cold night air. Harry felt himself being pushed hither and thither by people whose faces he could not see. Then he heard Ron yell with pain.**

: "What happened?" said Hermione anxiously, stopping so abruptly that Harry walked into her. "Ron, where are you? Oh, this is stupid - _Lumos_!" 

"Woah, woah - you'll get done for underage wizardry!" said James.

"Yeah, but how else are they meant to see their way through the rush?" said Sirius.

**: She illuminated her wand and directed its narrow beam across the path. Ron was lying sprawled on the ground.**

: "Tripped over a tree-root," he said angrily, getting to his feet again.

: "Well, with feet that size, hard not to," said a drawling voice from behind them.

"Ugh," said Sirius, as though something he couldn't be bothered with had just come up, "why can't he go and be pathetic somewhere else?"  
**  
: Harry, Ron and Hermione turned sharply. Draco Malfoy was standing alone nearby them, leaning against a tree, looking utterly relaxed.**"Because that's where Daddy told you to stay while he went off to play with the Muggles," said James angrily.**: His arms folded, he seemed to have been watching the scene on the campsite through a gap in the trees.**

: Ron told Malfoy to do something that Harry knew he would never have dared to say in front of Mrs Weasley.

"I like the sound of that," said Sirius, smirking. "I agree with Ron!" 

"Me too," said James.

"Me three!" said Remus and Lily together.

"Hey! You stole my line!" said Remus.

"No, you stole my line!" said Lily.

"I said it first!" 

"I did, you mean!" 

"No, I mean I said it first!" 

"Clearly, it was my voice that was heard first!" said Lily indignantly.

"Well, I thought of it first!" said Remus in a way that suggested that he'd won the argument no matter what anyone else had to say on the subject.

**: "Language, Weasley," said Malfoy, his pale eyes glittering. "Hadn't you better be hurrying along, now? You wouldn't like _her_ spotted, would you?"**

: He nodded at Hermione, and at the same moment, a blast like a bomb sounded from the campsite, and a flash of green light momentarily lit the trees around them."What's that supposed to mean, dung-bag?" spat James.**: "What's that supposed to mean?" said Hermione defiantly.**"She should have added 'dung-bag', then he could have related to it," said Sirius.**: "Granger, they're after _Muggles_," said Malfoy.**"He seems to have missed the fact that Hermione's a witch," said James.

"Yes, it seems that Malfoy junior is so stupid that he doesn't realise that Muggles can't attend Hogwarts," said Remus.**: "D'you want to be showing off your knickers in mid-air? Because if you do, hang around ... they're moving this way, and it would give us all a laugh."**"It'd be more funny if you hang around and they throw you around in mid-air," said Sirius. "In fact, I don't think I can think of anything that'd be more funny!" 

"Do you remember the day we showed everyone Snape's pants?" asked James, grinning.

"Oh yeah, that was a funny day," said Sirius, but he got out his list anyway and added to it.

**: "Hermione's a witch," Harry snarled.**"See, Harry's not stupid," said Remus.

"Of course he's not stupid," said James. "He's my son!"

**: "Have it your own way, Potter," said Mayfly, grinning maliciously. "If you think they can't spot a Mudblood,**James jumped up and began calling Malfoy every bad thing under the sun.  
**   
: stay where you are."**

: "You watch your mouth!" shouted Ron. Everyone present knew that "Mudblood" was a very offensive term for a wizard or witch of Muggle parentage.

: "Never mind, Ron," said Hermione quickly, seizing Ron's arm to restrain him as he took a step towards Malfoy.  
  
"Fight, fight, fight, fight," chanted Sirius encouragingly.

Lily looked at him.

"What? Someone needs to give him a good punch in the face." **: There came a bang from the other side of the trees that was louder than anything they had heard. Several people nearby screamed.**

: Malfoy chuckled softly. "Scare easily, don't they?" he said lazily."You wouldn't be saying that if I lifted you up and threw you right in their path," said James.  
**   
: "I suppose your daddy told you all to hide? What's he up to - trying to rescue the Muggles?"**"Yes," said James. "Hopefully, they'll arrest _your_ daddy while they're at it, and that'll wipe that smirk off your face, you arrogant little heap of rats droppings!"**: "Where're _your_ parents?" said Harry, his temper rising. "Out there wearing masks, are they?"**

: Malfoy turned his face to Harry, still smiling, "Well ... if they were, I wouldn't be likely to tell you, would I, Potter?""And in saying that you've just as good as told him they're there, you fool!" said Remus.

**: "Oh, come on," said Hermione, with a disgusted look at Malfoy, "let's go and fine the others."**

: "Keep that big bushy head down, Granger," sneered Malfoy.

: "Come _on_," Hermione repeated, and she pulled Harry and Ron up off the path again.

: "I'll bet you anything he dad _is_ one of that masked lot!" said Ron hotly.

: "Well, with any luck, the Ministry will catch him!" said Hermione fervently. "Oh, I don't believe this, where have the others got to?" "Great, they're lost," said Lily.

"No thanks to Malfoy," said Sirius darkly.**: Fred, George and Ginny were nowhere to be seen, though the path was packed with plenty of other people, all of them looking nervously over their shoulders towards the commotion back at the campsite.**

: A huddle of teenagers in pyjamas was arguing vociferously a little was along the path. When they saw Harry, Ron and Hermione, a girl with thick, curly hair turned and said quickly, "_Ou est Madame Maxime? Nous l'avons perdue -"_

: "Er - what?" said Ron."Ron's well up to scratch on his French, then!" said James, smiling.**: "Oh ..." The girl who had spoken turned her back on him, and as they walked on they distinctly heard her say, "'Ogwarts."**

: "Beauxbatons," muttered Hermione.

: "Sorry?" said Harry.

: "They must go to Beauxbatons," said Hermione. "You know ... Beauxbatons Academy of Magic ... I read about it in _An Appraisal of Magical Education in Europe_."

: "Oh ... yeah ... right," said Harry.  
  
"Well, he sounds like what you do when a teacher's asked you if you've ever read a book, Sirius," said Remus.

"Huh?" Sirius replied.

James burst out laughing.

**: "Fred and George can't have gone far," said Ron, pulling out his wand, lighting it like Hermione, and squinting up the path. Harry dug in the pockets of his jacket for his own wand - but it wasn't there. The only things he could find were his Omnioculars.**James looked more worried at that statement. **: "Ah, no, I don't believe it ... I've lost my wand!"**

: "You're kidding?"   
: Ron and Hermione raised their wands high enough to spread the narrow beams of light further on the ground; Harry looked all around him, but his wand was nowhere to be seen.

: "Maybe it's back at the tent," said Ron.

: "Maybe it fell out of your pocket when we were running?" Hermione suggested anxiously.

: "Yeah," said Harry, "maybe ...""I don't like this," said James. "It's not good. The idea that our boy is out there without his wand in that lot isn't right."**: He usually kept his wand with him at all times in the wizarding world, and finding himself without it in the midst of a scene like this made him feel very vulnerable.**

: A rustling noise made them all jump. Winky the house-elf was fighting her way out of a clump of bushes nearby. She was moving in a most peculiar fashion, apparently with great difficulty; it was as though someone invisible was trying to hold her back.James frowned.

"She's probably not meant to be there, and she's restraining herself from breaking orders, yet breaking them at the same time," said Remus.

**: "There is bad wizards about!" she squeaked distractedly, as she leant forwards and laboured to keep running. "People high - high in the air! Winky is getting out of the way!"**

: And she disappeared into the trees on the other side of the path, panting and squeaking as she fought the force that was restraining her.

: "What's up with her?" said Ron, looking curiously after Winky. "Why can't she run properly?"

: "Bet she didn't ask permission to hide," said Harry. He was thinking of Dobby: every time he had tried to do something the Malfoys wouldn't like, he had been forced to start beating himself up."I think Dobby should go back to the Malfoys and clobber them for every time he clobbered himself for them!" said Sirius.  
**  
: "You know, house-elves get a _very_ raw deal!" said Hermione indignantly. "It's slavery, that's what it is! That Mr Crouch made her go up to the top of the stadium, and she was terrified, and he's got her bewitched so she can't even run when they start trampling tents! Why doesn't anyone _do_ anything about it?" **"Hermione should come round to my house for dinner one evening and start up such a conversation," said Sirius, grinning. "Can you imagine the look on my mothers' face if she harped on about elf rights!"   
**   
: "Well, the elves are happy, aren't they?" said Ron. "You heard old Winky back at the match ... 'House-elves is not supposed to have fun' ... that's what she likes, being bossed around ..." **"It's more a fact of them being used to such lives, I would think," said Remus thoughtfully.

**: "It's people like _you_, Ron," Hermione began hotly, "who prop up rotten and unjust systems, just because they're too lazy to -" **

: Another loud bang echoed from the edge of the wood.

: "Let's just keep moving, shall we?" said Ron, and Harry saw him glance edgily at Hermione. Perhaps there was truth in what Malfoy had said; perhaps Hermione _was_ in more danger than they were."No chance," said James, smiling. "Hermione looks no different from any of the other people there! They wouldn't be able to tell hr parentage just by looking at her - they'd have to know her name."**: They set off again, Harry still searching his pockets, even though he knew his wand wasn't there.**

: They followed the dark path deeper into the wood, still keeping an eye out for Fred, George and Ginny. They passed a group of goblins, who were cackling over a sack of gold they had undoubtedly won betting on the match, and who seemed quite unpertubed by the trouble on the campsite. Further still along the path, they walked into a patch of silvery light, and when they looked through the trees, they saw three tall and beautiful Veela standing in a clearing, surrounded by a gaggle of young wizards, all of whom were talking very loudly."This should be funny," said James, rubbing his hands and grinning broadly.

"Why?" 

"You'll find out when I read."

**: "I pull down about a hundred sacks of Galleons a year," one of them shouted. "I'm a dragon-killer for the Committee for the Disposal of Dangerous Creatures." **

: "No, you're not," yelled his friend, "you're a dish-washer at the Leaky Cauldron ... but I'm a Vampire Hunter, I've killed about ninety so far -" 

: A third young wizard, whose pimples were visible even by the dim, silvery light of the Veela, now cut in, "I'm about to become the youngest Minister for Magic, I am." 

: Harry snorted with laughter. He recognised the pimply wizard; his name was Stan Shunpike, and he was in fact a conductor on the triple-decker Knight Bus."Who - that geeky kid who was on the bus last year when Harry ran away?" asked Remus.

By the sounds of things!" 

They all burst out in laughter.

**: He turned to tell Ron this, but Ron's face had gone oddly slack, and next second Ron was yelling, "Did I tell you I've invented a broomstick that'll reach Jupiter?" **Many wouldn't have believed it possible, but they all laughed even harder. So much harder, that when they all finally calmed down, there were streams of tears flowing down everyone's eyes, and they were all panting as though they had all just run a marathon.**: "_Honestly_!" said Hermione once again, and she and Harry grabbed Ron firmly by the arms, wheeled him around and marched him away. By the time the sounds of the Veela and their admirers had faded completely, they were in the very heart of the wood. They seemed to be alone now; everything was much quieter.**"You know, I'm getting a feeling that they'd be better off listening to Ron make an arse of himself," said James, in worried tones.

**: Harry looked around. "I reckon we can just wait here, you know, we'll hear anyone coming a mile off."**

: The words were hardly out of his mouth, when Ludo Bagman emerged from behind a tree right ahead of them.  
  
"What the hell is he doing there?" said Remus. "Why isn't he with the Ministry helping the Muggles?"

The others shrugged.  
**   
: Even by the feeble light of the two wands, Harry could see that a great change had come over Bagman. He no longer looked buoyant and rosy-faced; there was no more spring in his step. He looked very white and strained.**

: "Who's that?" he said, blinking down at them, trying to make out their faces. "What are you doing in here, all alone?" 

: They looked at each other, surprised.

: "Well - there's a sort of riot going on," said Ron.

"He must be there for some other reason," said James frowning.

"Sounds like he's in some sort of trouble," said Sirius.  
**  
: Bagman stared at them. "What?"**

: "On the campsite ... some people have got hold of a family of Muggles ..." 

: Bagman swore loudly.  
  
"HEY! DON'T SWEAR IN FRONT OF MY BOY!" said Lily angrily.

"Ron was swearing earlier," said Sirius defensively.

"Yes, but you expect them to swear among themselves, but Bagman's supposed to set an example towards the younger generation!" 

And Sirius didn't dare argue back.**: "Damn them!" he said, looking quite distracted, and without another word, he Disapperated with a small _pop_.**

: "Not exactly on top of things, Mr Bagman, is he?" said Hermione, frowning.

: "He was a great Beater, though," said Ron, "Damn straight!" said Sirius and James together, though it wasn't with as much enthusiasm as before.  
**   
: leading the way off the path into a small clearing, and sitting down on a patch of dry grass at the foot of a tree. "The Wimbourne Wasps won the league three times in a row while he was with them." **"They're gonna win twice more!" said James excitedly, "fantastic!"

**: He took the small figure of Krum out of his pocket, set it down on the ground and watched it walk around for a while. Like the real Krum, the model was slightly duck-footed and round-shouldered, much less impressive on his splayed feet than on his broomstick. Harry was listening out for noise from the campsite. Everything still seemed quiet; perhaps the riot was over.  
**  
"I hope so," said Lily.  
**   
: "I hope the others are OK," said Hermione after a while.**

: "They'll be fine," said Ron.

: "Imagine if your Dad catches Lucius Malfoy," said Harry, sitting down next to Ron and watching the small figure of Krum slouching over the fallen leaves. "He's always said he'd like to get something on him."

: "That'd wipe the smirk off old Draco's face, all right," said Ron."Damn straight!" said James and Sirius together.**: "Those poor Muggles, though," said Hermione nervously. "What if they can't get them down?"**

: "They will," said Ron reassuringly, "they'll find a way." 

: "Mad, though, to do something like that when the whole Ministry of Magic's out here tonight!" said Hermione. "I mean, how do they expect to get away with it? Do you think they've been drinking, or are they just -" 

"They'll be off their faces with drink, pledging their undoubted support to the mighty Lord Voldemort, and playing a little game of Muggle-floating," said Sirius in disgusted sarcasm.  
**   
: She broke off abruptly and looked over her shoulder. Harry and Ron looked quickly around, too. It sounded as though someone was staggering towards their clearing. They waited, listening to the sounds on the uneven steps behind the dark trees. But the footsteps came to a sudden halt.**"I don't like the sound of this," said James nervously. "I don't like this at all ..."

**: "Hello?" called Harry.**

: There was silence. Harry got to his feet and peered around the tree. It was too dark to see very far, but he could sense somebody standing just beyond the range of his vision.

: "Who's there?" he said.  
  
They all waited tensely for something to happen, though dreading the moment that it would happen.**: And then, without warning, the silence was rent by a voice unlike any they had heard in the wood; and it uttered, not a panicked shout, but what sounded like a spell.**

: "_MORSMORDRE!_" "What does that spell do?" asked Lilt anxiously. "Nothing bad, I hope."

"I have a horrible feeling that it's definitely going to be a bad spell," said James.

**: And something vast, green and glittering erupted from the patch of darkness Harry's eyes had been struggling to penetrate: it flew up over the treetops and into the sky.**

: "What the -?" gasped Ron, as he sprang to his feet again, staring up at the thing that had appeared.

: For a split second, Harry thought it was another leprechaun formation. Then he realised that it was a colossal skull, composed of what looked like emerald stars, with a serpent protruding from its mouth like a tongue."That's horrible!" said Lily. "Why would anyone put that in the sky?"

"That must be the Dark Mark," said James quietly.

Lily blanched, and put her hands to her mouth. "You mean ... he's ... there!" she spluttered.

"I doubt it, but the panic it'll create will be far worse than the one with the Muggles," said Remus grimly.  
**   
: As they watched, it rose higher and higher, blazing in a haze of greenish smoke, etched against the black sky like a new constellation.**

: Suddenly, the wood all around them erupted with screams. Harry didn't understand why, but the only possible cause was the sudden appearance of the skull, which had now risen high enough to illuminate the entire wood, like some grisly neon sign. He scanned the darkness for the person who had conjured the skull, but he couldn't see anyone.

: "Who's there?" he called again."Harry, never mind who's there - you just get out of there and find the others as quickly as possible!" said James, sounding as though he wanted to be there more than ever.

**: "Harry, come on, _move_!" Hermione had seized the back of his jacket, and was tugging him backwards.**

: "What's the matter?" said Harry, startled to see her face so white and terrified.

: "It's the Dark Mark, Harry!" Hermione moaned, pulling him as hard as she could. "You-Know-Who's sign!": "_Voldemort's_-?" "Who else is known as You-Know-Who?" snapped Sirius.

They all looked at him.

"Sorry, it's just frustrating not being able to do anything," he said, cramming his hands deeply in his pockets.

**: "Harry, come _on_!" **

: Harry turned - Ron was hurriedly scooping up his miniature Krum - the three of them started across the clearing - but before they had taken more than a few hurried steps, a series of popping noises announced the arrival of twenty wizards, appearing from thin air, surrounding them.

: Harry whirled around, and in a split second, he registered one fact: each one of these wizards had his wand out, and every wand was pointing right at himself, Ron and Hermione. Without pausing to think, he yelled, "DUCK!"   
  
"They're going to stun them!" said James, standing up.

"But they haven't done anything!" said Sirius indignantly.**: He seized the other two and pulled them down onto the ground.**

: "_STUPEFY!_" roared twenty voices - there was a blinding series of flashes and Harry felt the hair on his head ripple as though a powerful wind had swept the clearing. Raising his head a fraction of an inch he saw jets of fiery red light flying over them from the wizards' wands, crossing each other, bouncing off tree-trunks, rebounding into the darkness - 

: "Stop!" yelled a voice he recognised. "STOP! _That's my son!_" They all breathed out in relief.  
**   
: Harry's hair stopped blowing about. He raised his head a little higher. The wizard in front of him had lowered his wand. He rolled over and saw Mr Weasley striding towards them, looking terrified.**

: "Ron - Harry -" his voice sounded shaky, "- Hermione - are you all right?" 

: "Out of the way, Arthur," said a cold, curt voice.

: It was Mr Crouch. He and the other Ministry wizards were closing in on them. Harry got to his feet to face them. Mr Crouch's face was taut with rage.

: "Which of you did it?" he snapped, his sharp eyes darting between them. "Which of you conjured the Dark Mark?"

"You're mental!" exclaimed Sirius, in a high-pitched voice.

"How dare you accuse them - they just happened to be in the wrong place at the wrong time!" stormed Lily.

**: "We didn't do that!" said Harry, gesturing up at the skull.**

: "We didn't do anything!" said Ron, who was rubbing his elbow, and looking indignantly at his father. "What did you want to attack us for?"

: "Do not lie, sir!" shouted Mr Crouch. His wand was still pointing directly at Ron, and his eyes were popping - he looked slightly mad. "You have been discovered at the scene of the crime!"

: "Barty," whispered a witch in a long woolen dressing-gown, "they're kids, Barty, they'd never have been able to -" 

: "Where did the Mark come from, you three?" said Mr Weasley quickly.

: "Over there," said Hermione shakily, pointing at the place where they had heard the voice, "there was someone behind the trees ... they shouted words - an incantation -" "Thank you - at least there's someone there, who's willing to find out sense!" said Remus.**: "Oh, stood over there, did they?" said Mr Crouch, **"She just said so, didn't she?" snarled Sirius, "Or are you deaf?"   
**   
: turning his popping eyes on Hermione now, disbelief etched all over his face. "Said an incantation, did they? You seem very well informed about how that Mark is summoned, missy -" **"Probably because she heard the person who did conjure it," said James angrily. "I mean, for God's sake, they're kids, you moron! They'd never have been able to learn such a spell!"   
**   
: But none of the Ministry wizards apart from Mr Crouch seemed to think it remotely likely that Harry, Ron or Hermione had conjured the skull; on the contrary, at Hermione's words, they has raised all their wands, and were pointing in the direction she had indicated, squinting through the dark trees.**

: "We're too late," said the witch in the woolen dressing-gown, shaking her head. "They'll have Disapperated."

: "I don't think so," said a wizard with a scrubby brown beard. "It was Amos Diggory, Cedric's father. Our Stunners went right through those trees ... there's a good chance we got them ..." "Good - then you should all pound the git to a pulp!" said Sirius, smacking a fist into the palm of his other hand.

"Is violence your solution to everything?" asked Lily.

"No, not everything, but most things - but you have to admit, that putting the Dark Mark in the air is pretty sick!"

"True ..."

**: "Amos, be careful!" said a few of the wizards warningly, as Mr Diggory squared his shoulders, raised his wand, marched across the clearing and disappeared into the darkness. Hermione watched him vanish with her hands over her mouth.**

: A few seconds later, they heard Mr Diggory shout.

: "Yes! We got them! There's someone here! Unconscious! It's - but - blimey ..."

: "You've got someone?" shouted Mr Crouch, sounding highly disbelieving.  
  
"Someone get this guy a hearing aid!" snapped Sirius.  
**   
: "Who? Who is it?" **

: They heard snapping twigs, the rustling of leaves, and then crunching footsteps as Mr Diggory re-emerged from behind the trees. He was carrying a tiny, limp figure in his arms. Harry recognised the tea-towel at once. It was Winky."The house-elf?" said Remus, his eyes widening.

"Huh?" said Sirius stupidly.

"Oh my God," said James and Lily together.

"But Winky would need a wand - elves aren't allowed wands!" added Remus.**: Mr Crouch did not move or speak as Mr Diggory deposited Mr Crouch's elf on the ground at his feet. The other Ministry wizards were all staring at Mr Crouch.  
**  
"Huh! Not so disbelieving now, are you!" said Sirius, in a triumphant air.**: For a few seconds Crouch remained transfixed, his eyes blazing in his white face as he stared down at Winky. Then he appeared to come to life again.**

: "This - cannot - be," he said jerkily. "No -" "I take my earlier comment back," said Sirius, in a voice suggesting that he was giving up on the man.**: He moved quickly around Mr Diggory and strode off towards the place where he had found Winky.**

: "No point, Mr Crouch," Mr Diggory called after him. "There's no one else there." 

: But Mr Crouch did not seem prepared to take his word for it. They could hear him moving around, the rustling of leaves as he pushed the bushes aside, searching.  
  
James frowned.

"He's just trying to find someone so it doesn't look bad for him," said Lily.

"Hmmm," said James. "Or he knows he's going to find someone else there ..." 

"What d'you mean?" asked Remus.

"I dunno ... just a thought ..."

**: "Bit embarrassing," Mr Diggory said grimly, looking down at Winky's unconscious form. "Barty Crouch's house-elf ... I mean to say ..."**

: "Come off it, Amos," said Mr Weasley quietly, "you don't seriously think it was the elf? The Dark Mark's a wizard's sign. It requires a wand." 

: "Yeah," said Mr Diggory, "and she _had_ a wand." 

: "_What_?" said Mr Weasley.

: "Here, look." Mr Diggory held up a wand and showed it to Mr Weasley. "Had it in her hand. So that's clause three of the Code of Wand Use broken for a start. _No non-human creature is permitted to carry or use a wand_." "But she might have just picked it up after the person who did conjure it Disapperated," said James. "I mean, Harry, Ron and Hermione would have recognised Winky's voice, if it was her."**: Just then there was another _pop_, and Ludo Bagman Apparated right next to Mr Weasley. **They all looked at each other.

"Better late than never, I suppose," shrugged Sirius.**: Looking breathless and disorientated, he spun on the spot, goggling upwards at the emerald green skull.**

: "The Dark Mark!" he panted, almost trampling Winky as he turned enquiringly to his colleagues. "Who did it? Did you get them? Barty! What's going on?"

: Mr Crouch had returned empty-handed. His face was still ghostly white, and his hands and his toothbrush moustache were both twitching.

: "Where have you been, Barty?" said Bagman. "Why weren't you at the match? Your elf was saving you a seat, too - Gulping gargoyles!" Bagman had just noticed Winky lying at his feet. "What happened to _her_?"

: "I have been busy, Ludo," said Mr Crouch, "That's fishy, as well. I mean, why bother paying all that money for a seat, and then be side-tracked by something that could probably wait for a while?" said James.**: still talking in the same jerky fashion, barely moving his lips. "And my elf has been Stunned." **

: "Stunned? By you lot, you mean? But why -?" 

: Comprehension dawned suddenly on Bagman's round, shiny face; he looked up at the skull, down at Winky and then at Mr Crouch.

: "_No!_" he said. "Winky? Conjure the Dark Mark? She wouldn't know how! She'd need a wand for a start!"

: "And she had one," said Mr Diggory. "I found her holding one, Ludo. If it's all right with you, Mr Crouch, I think we should hear what she's got to say for herself.""Yes, that's a good idea," said James, sitting back down again.

**: Crouch gave no sign that he had heard Mr Diggory, but Mr Diggory seemed to take his silence for assent. He raised his own wand, pointed it at Winky and said, "_Enervate_!" **

: Winky stirred feebly. Her great brown eyes opened and she blinked several times in a bemused sort of way. Watched by the silent wizards, she raised herself shakily into a sitting position. She caught sight of Mr Diggory's feet, and slowly, tremulously raised her eyes to stare up into his face; then, more slowly still, she looked up into the sky. Harry could see the floating skull reflected twice in her enormous, glassy eyes. She gave a gasp, looked wildly around the crowded clearing and burst into terrified sobs.  
  
"Bless her," said Remus.**: "Elf!" said Mr Diggory sternly.**James blinked at the book, looking slightly abashed.  
**   
: "Do you know who I am? I'm a member of the Department for Regulation and Control of Magical Creatures!"**

: Winky began to rock backwards and forwards on the ground, her breath coming in sharp bursts. Harry was reminded forcibly of Dobby in his moments of terrified disobedience.

: "As you see, elf, the Dark Mark was conjured here a short while ago," said Mr Diggory. "And you were discovered moments later, right beneath it! An explanation, if you please!"

: "I - I - I is not doing it, sir!" Winky gasped. "I is not knowing how, sir!"

: "You were found with a wand in your hand!" barked Mr Diggory, brandishing it in front of her. And as the wand caught the green light that was filling the clearing from the skull above, Harry recognised it.

: "Hey - that's mine!" he said."Wrong thing to say, Harry!" said Sirius, his eyes widening.

"He didn't have it when the Mark was conjured!" said James indignantly. "Winky probably just picked it up when Harry dropped it."   
**   
: Everyone in the clearing looked at him.**

: "Excuse me?" said Mr Diggory, incrediously.

: "That's my wand!" said Harry. "I dropped it!" 

: "You dropped it?" repeated Mr Diggory in disbelief. "Is this a confession? You threw it aside after you conjured the Mark?"

James frowned angrily.

"Yeah, as if _Harry Potter_, the kid who caused the downfall of Voldemort, conjured the Dark Mark," said Sirius sarcastically.

**: "Amos, think who you're talking to!" said Mr Weasley, very angrily. "Is Harry_ Potter_ likely to conjure the Dark Mark?" **"I'm glad there's someone who talks sense there," said James angrily.**: "Er - of course not," mumbled Mr Diggory. "Sorry ... carried away ..." **"Well, at least he was big enough to admit he was wrong," said Lily in satisfied tones.**: "I didn't drop it there, anyway," said Harry, jerking his thumb towards the trees beneath the skull. "I missed it right after we got into the wood."**

: "So," said Mr Diggory, his eyes hardening as he turned to look at Winky again, cowering at his feet. "You fund this wand, eh, elf? And you picked it up and thought you'd have some fun with it, did you?" 

: "I is not doing magic with it, sir!" squealed Winky, tears streaming down the sides of her squashed bulbous nose. "I is ... I is ... I is just picking it up, sir! I is not making the Dark Mark, sir, I is not knowing how!" "Do you think it's her," said James to Sirius.

Sirius shook his head. "No chance, she'd need permission, and I can't see Crouch giving her permission do conjure the Dark Mark." **: "It wasn't her!" said Hermione. She looked very nervous, speaking up in front of all these Ministry wizards, yet determined all the same. "Winky's got a squeaky little voice and the voice we heard doing the incantation was much deeper!" She looked round at Harry and Ron, appealing for their support. "It didn't sound anything like Winky, did it?"**

: "No," said Harry, shaking his head. "It definitely didn't sound like an elf." 

: "Yeah, it was a human voice," said Ron.

: "Well, we'll soon see," growled Mr Diggory, looking unimpressed."But they said it wasn't a squeaky house-elf-like voice when the incantation was uttered," said James, thinking that the whole thing was being investigated in the wrong way.**: "There's a simple way of discovering the last spell a wand performed, elf, did you know that?"   
: Winky trembled and shook her head frantically, her ears flapping, as Mr Diggory raised his own wand again, and placed it tip to tip with HArry's.   
: "_Prior Incantato!_" roared Mr Diggory.   
: Harry heard Hermione gasp, horrified, as a gigantic serpent-tongued skull erupted from the point where the two wands met, but it was a mere shadow of the green skull high above them, it looked as though it was made of thick grey smoke: the ghost of a spell.**"The elf must have done it, then," said Sirius in surprise.

"Winky might have picked it up after the Mark was made," said James.

"True ..."

**: "_Deletrius!_" Mr Diggory shouted, and the smoky skull vanished in a whisp of smoke.**

: "So," said Mr Diggory with a kind of savage triumph, looking down upon Winky, who was still shaking convulsively. 

: "I is not doing it!" she squealed, her eyes rolling in terror. "I is not, I is not, I is not knowing how! I is a good elf, I isn't using wands, I isn't knowing how!"

: "_You've been caught red-handed, elf!_" Mr Diggory roared. "_Caught with the guilty wand in your hand!_"

"This is horrible," said Lily in disgust. "They wouldn't be treating people like this!"

"Yes they would. He'd be shouting at a wizard just the same, if it were them who was found," said Sirius.

"Yes, but they wouldn't be addressing them as _human_ all the time, would they?" **: "Amos," said Mr Weasley loudly, "think about it ... precious few wizards know how to do that spell ... where would she have learnt it?" **"Exactly," said James. "I mean, Crouch seems the kind of person who's never had any sort of adventurous life. He's probably got a wife like your sister, Lily, and some grown up kid, who's someone else's boss at the Ministry." **: "Perhaps Amos is suggesting," said Mr Crouch, cold anger in every syllable, "that I routinely teach my servants to conjure the Dark Mark?" **"I have a feeling that this could turn very unpleasant," said Remus.

"Good, I love a good shouting argument!" said Sirius, rubbing his hands together.

"Everyone loves it when someone's shouting at someone else," said James.

"Must be a change from McGonagall shouting at you lot, watching someone else getting shouted at," said Lily.

"Hey - she doesn't shout at us all the time!" said James.

"Yeah," added Sirius. "Only the times when she catches us!"

**: There was a deeply unpleasant silence.**

: Amos Diggory looked horrified. "Mr Crouch ... not ... not at all ..." 

: "You have now come very close to accusing the two people in this clearing who are _least_ likely to conjure that Mark!" barked Mr Crouch.  
  
"Brilliant!" said Sirius excitedly.**: "Harry Potter - and myself! I suppose you are familiar with the boy's story, Amos?" **

: "Of course - everyone knows -" muttered Mr Diggory, looking highly discomforted.

: "And I trust you remember the many proofs I have given , over a long career, that I despise and detest the Dark Arts and those who practise them?" Mr Crouch shouted, his eyes bulging again.

: "Mr Crouch, I - I never suggested you had anything to do with it!" muttered Amos Diggory, now reddening behind his scrubby brown beard.

: "If you accuse my elf, you accuse me, Diggory!" shouted Mr Crouch.  
  
"Well, actually, I'd say he was accusing the elf," said Sirius.

Remus threw a pillow at him to shut him up.

"You smell." 

"Very mature, Sirius." 

"I'm just saying you smell." 

"So do you." 

"But I smell nice. You don't." **: "Where else would she have learnt to conjure it?" **

: "She - she might've picked it up anywhere -" 

: "Precisely, Amos," said Mr Weasley. "_She might have picked it up anywhere_ ... Winky?" he said kindly, turning to the elf, but she flinched as though he, too, was shouting at her."Poor little thing," said Lily.

**: "Where exactly did you find Harry's wand?"**

: Winky was twisting the hem of her tea-towel so violently that it was fraying beneath her fingers.

: "I - I is finding it ... finding it there, sir ..." she whispered. "there ... in the trees, sir ..." 

: "You see, Amos?" said Mr Weasley. "Whoever conjured the Mark could have Disapperated right after they'd dome it, leaving Harry's wand behind. A clever thing to do, not using their own wand, which could have betrayed them. And Winky here had the misfortune to come across the wand moments later and pick it up." 

: "But then, she'd have been feet away from the real culprit!" said Mr Diggory impatiently. "Elf? Did you see anyone?"

: Winky began to tremble worse then ever. Her giant eyes flickered from Mr Diggory to Ludo Bagman, and on to Mr Crouch.

: Then she gulped, and said, "I is seeing no one, sir ... no one ..." "She's lying," said James flatly.

"How do you know?" said Remus.

"She would have said straight away if she'd seen anyone or not, and she didn't." 

"She's scared!" said Lily.

"Still ..." 

"Who would she have seen, then? Why would she not tell?" said Remus.

"I dunno ..." **: "Amos," said Mr Crouch curtly, "I am fully aware that, in the ordinary course of events, you would want to take Winky into your department for questioning. I ask you, however, to allow me to deal with her." **"There's another reason, Crouch is obviously got something to hide," said Sirius.  
"He probably likes to have everything hi own way, though, and disciplining his elf is something the master of the house likes to do, isn't it," said Remus.

**: Mr Diggory looked as though he didn't think much of this suggestion at all, but it was clear to Harry that Mr Crouch was such an important member of the Ministry that he did not dare refuse him.**

: "You may rest assured that she will be punished," Mr Crouch added coldly.

"M-m-master ..." Winky stammered, looking up at Mr Crouch, her eyes brimming with tears. "M-m-master, p-p-please ..." "He's gonna punish the elf for something she didn't do," said Lily in outrage. "That's so unfair! That's terrible!" **: Mr Crouch stared back, his face somehow sharpened, each line upon it more deeply etched. There was no pity in his gaze. "Winky has behaved tonight in a manner I would not have believed possible," he said slowly. "I told her to remain in the tent. I told her to stay there while I went out to sort out the trouble. And I find that she has disobeyed me. _This means clothes_."**

: "No!" shrieked Winky, prostrating herself at Mr Crouch's feet. "No, master! Not clothes, not clothes!" "Harsh," said Sirius.

"Damn straight," said James sadly.**: Harry knew that the only way to turn a house-elf free was to present it with proper garments. It was pitiful to see the way Winky clutched at her tea-towel as she sobbed over Mr Crouch's feet.**

: "But she was frightened!" Hermione burst out angrily, glaring at Mr Crouch. "You elf's scared of heights, and those wizards in the masks were levitating people! You can't blame her for wanting to get out of their way!" "Exactly, why can't he see that!" said Lily.**: "Mr Crouch took a step backwards, freeing himself from contact with the elf, whom he was surveying as though she was something filthy and rotten that was contaminating his over-shined shoes.**

: "I have no use for a house-elf who disobeys me," he said coldly, looking up at Hermione. "I have no use for a servant who forgets what is due to her master, and to her master's reputation." "Well, _excuse me_!" Lily burst out angrily. "I was never aware that your reputation was at stake here. Oh no, it's been so damaged because your elf picked was scared!" 

"Woah, woah ... calm down, Evans," said James, looking surprised.

**: Winky was crying so hard that her sobs echoed around the clearing.   
: There was a very nasty silence, which was ended by Mr Weasley, who said quietly, "Well, I think I'll take my lot back to the tent, if nobody's got any objections. Amos, that wand's told us all it can - if Harry could have it back, please -"   
: Mr Diggory handed Harry his wand and Harry pocketed it. **"Good, at least his wand's safe and sound now," said James happily.**: "Come on, you three," Mr Weasley said quietly. But Hermione didn't seem to want to move; her eyes were still upon the sobbing elf. "Hermione!" Mr Weasley said, more urgently. She turned and followed Harry and Ron out of the clearing and off through the trees.**

: "What's going to Winky?" said Hermione, the moment they had left the clearing. 

: "I don't know," said Mr Weasley.

: "The way they were treating her!" said Hermione furiously. "Mr Diggory calling her 'elf' all the time ... and Mr Crouch! He knows she didn't do it and he's still going to sack her! He didn't care how frightened she'd been, or how upset she was - it was like she wasn't even human!" 

: "Well, she's not," said Ron.

: Hermione rounded on him. "That doesn't mean she hasn't got feelings, Ron, it's disgusting the way -"

: "Hermione, I agree with you," said Mr Weasley quickly, beckoning her on, "but now is not the time to be discussing elf rights. I want to get back to the tent as fast as we can. What happened to the others?" 

: "We lost them in the dark," said Ron. "Dad, why was everyone so uptight about that skull thing?" "It's Voldemort's sign, isn't that enough?" said Remus.

"Yes, but I agree with Ron, it's not hurting anyone," said Lily.**: "I'll explain everything back at the tent," said Mr Weasley tensely.**

: But when they reached the edge of the wood, their progress was impeded.

: A large crowd of frightened-looking witches and wizards were congregated there, and when they saw Mr Weasley coming towards them, many of them surged forwards. "What's going on in there?" "Who conjured it?" "Arthur - it's not - _him_?" "Don't be stupid, Voldemort's in a house!" said Sirius.

"But they don't know that," said James.

"Oh ... yeah ..."

**: "Of course it's not him," said Mr Weasley impatiently. "We don't know who it was, it looks like they Disapparated. Now excuse me, please, I want to get to bed.": He led Harry, Ron and Hermione through the crowd and back into the campsite. All was quiet now; there was no sign of the masked wizards, though several ruined tents were still smoking.**"I wonder where those poor people will sleep tonight," said Lily.

"They'll have something for them," said James.  
**   
: Charlie's head was poking out of the boys' tent.**

: "Dad, what's going on?" he called through the dark. "Fred, George and Ginny got back OK, but the others -" 

: "I've got them here, said Mr Weasley, bending down and entering the tent. Harry, Ron and Hermione entered after him."Good, they're all safe and sound in the tent at last!" said Lily happily.**: Bill was sitting at the small kitchen table, holding a bedsheet to his arm, which was bleeding profusely. Charlie had a large rip in his shirt, and Percy was sporting a bloody nose. Fred, George and Ginny looked unhurt, though shaken.**

: "Did you get them, Dad?" said Bill sharply. "The person who conjured the Mark?"

: "No," said Mr Weasley. "We found Barty Crouch's elf holding Harry's wand, but we're none the wiser about who actually conjured the Mark." 

: "_What?_" said Bill, Charlie and Percy together.

: "Harry's wand?" said Fred.

: "_Mr Crouch's elf?_" said Percy, sounding thunderstruck.They all laughed at the thought of the look on Percy's face. **: With some assistance from Harry, Ron and Hermione, Mr Weasley explained what had happened in the woods. When they had finished their story, Percy swelled indignantly.**

: "Well, Mr Crouch is quite right to get rid of an elf like that!" he said. "Running away when he'd expressly told her not to ... embarrassing him in front of the whole Ministry ... how would that have looked, if she'd been had up in front of the Department for the Regulation and Control -" "Hey, idiot, the elf was frightened, and she did what any other person would have done, and that was run to safety in the wood!" snapped Lily.

**: "She didn't do anything- she was just in the wrong place at the wrong time!" Hermione snapped at Percy, who looked very taken aback. Hermione had always got on fairly well with Percy - better, indeed, than any of the others.**

: "Hermione, a wizard in Mr Crouch's position can't afford a house-elf who's going to run amok with a wand!" said Percy pompously, recovering himself.

: "She didn't run amok!" shouted Hermione. "She just picked it up off the ground!" 

: "Look, can someone just explain what that skull thing was?" said Ron impatiently. "It wasn't hurting anyone ... why's it such a big deal?" "Yeah, it wasn't actually doing anything. Not a nice thing to display, I admit, though," said James.**: "I told you, it's You-Know-Who's symbol, Ron," said Hermione, before anyone else could answer. "I read about it in _The Rise and Fall of the Dark Arts_." **

: "And it hasn't been seen for thirteen years," said Mr Weasley quietly. "Of course people panicked ... it was almost like seeing You-Know-Who back again."

: "I don't get it," said Ron, frowning. "I mean ... it's still only a shape in the sky ..." 

: "Ron, You-Know-Who and his followers sent the Dark Mark into the air whenever they killed," said Mr Weasley. "The terror it inspired ... you have no idea, you're too young."I hate it when parents say that!" huffed James.**: Just picture coming home, and finding the Dark Mark hovering over your house, and knowing what you're about to find inside ..." Mr Weasley winced. "Everyone's worst fear ... the very worst ..." **"That's horrible," said Lily sadly.

"No wonder people panicked ... they'd want to find their loved ones as quick as possible to make sure that they were all right," said Remus.  
**   
: There was silence for a moment.**

: Then Bill, removing the sheet from his arm to check on his cut, said, "Well, it didn't help us tonight, whoever conjured it. It scared the Death Eaters away the moment they saw it. They all Disapparated before we'd got near enough to unmask any of them. We caught the Robertses before they hit the ground, though. They're having their memories modified right now."

: "Death Eaters?" said Harry. "What are Death Eaters?" "Voldemort supporters," they all said.**: "It's what You-Know-Who's supporters called themselves," said Bill. "I think we saw what's left of them tonight - the ones who managed to keep themselves out of Azkaban, anyway."**

: "We can't prove it was them, Bill," said Mr Weasley. "Though it probably was," he added hopelessly.

: "Yeah, I bet it was!" said Ron suddenly.  
  
"So do I," said Sirius.

"Especially when Malfoy Junior was so smug, and not wetting his panties, and holding mummy's hand," mocked James.**: "Dad, we met Draco Malfoy in the woods, and he as good as told us his dad was one of those nutters in masks! And we all know the Malfoys were right in with You-Know-Who!" **"God, why can't they all just say Voldemort?" said James irritably. "I mean, it's only his name, it can't hurt you!"

**: "But what were Voldemort's supporters -" Harry began.**"Good boy, Harry. You show them that there's nothing to be afraid of," said James proudly.**: Everybody flinched - like most in the wizarding world, the Weasleys always avoided saying Voldemort's name.**"And they shouldn't," muttered James.**: "Sorry," said Harry quickly. "What were You-Know-Who's supporters up to, levitating Muggles? I mean, what's the point?" **

: "The point?" said Mr Weasley, with a hollow laugh. "Harry, that's their idea of fun. Half the Muggle killings back when You-Know-Who was in power were done for fun."That's disgusting and sick!" said James, looking horrified.

"That's the kind of thing my parents would support," said Sirius in disgust. "They're always going on about how Muggles should be hunted down."   
**   
: I suppose they had a few drinks tonight and couldn't resist reminding us all that lots of them are still at large. A nice little reunion for them," he finished disgustedly.**

: "But if they _were_ Death Eaters, why did they Disapparate when they saw the Dark Mark?" said Ron. "They'd have been pleased to see it, wouldn't they?"

: "Use your brains, Ron," said Bill. "If they really were Death Eaters, they worked really hard to keep out of Azkaban when You-Know-Who lost power, and told all sorts of lies about him forcing them to kill and torture people. I bet they'd be even more frightened than the rest of us to see him come back. They denied they'd ever been involved with him when he'd lost his powers, and went back to their daily lives ... I don't reckon he'd be over-pleased with them, do you?""Probably not," said James.

"Serves them right, though," said Sirius. "They can't just switch sides all the time, you're either with him, or not with him!" **: "So ... whoever conjured the Dark Mark ..." said Hermione slowly, "were they doing it to show support for the Death Eaters, or to scare them away?" **

: "Your guess is as good as ours, Hermione," said Mr Weasley. "But I'll tell you this... it was only the Death Eaters who ever knew how to conjure it. I'd be very surprised if the person who did it hadn't been a Death Eater once, even if they're not now ... "They're probably still one now, if they dare to show such a Mark again," said Sirius. "I mean, if they were trying to move on from such a life, they won't want to practice their spells."

**: Listen, it's very late, and if your mother hears what's happened she'll be worried sick. We'll get a few more hours' sleep and then try and get an early Portkey out of here." **"Good, then they'll be as far away from that Mark as possible!" said Lily.  
**   
: Harry got back into his bunk with his head buzzing. He knew he ought to feel exhausted; it was nearly three in the morning, but he felt wide awake - wide awake and worried.**

: Three days ago - it felt like much longer, but it had only been three days - he had awoken with his scar burning. And tonight, for the first time in thirteen years, Lord Voldemort's Mark had appeared in the sky. What did these things mean? "That he's very much alive, and is plotting something that no one will like," said James.

"Why do I get the feeling that he's going to do something really bad, and there won't be anything anyone can do about it?" said Sirius.**: He thought of the letter he had written to Sirius before leaving Privet Drive. Would Sirius have answered it yet? When would he reply?   
**  
"I promise that as soon as I've read it, I'll reply straight away!" said Sirius.  
**   
: Harry lay looking up at the canvas, but no flying fantasies came to him now to ease him to sleep, and it was a long time after Charlie's snores filled the tent that Harry finally dozed off.**"Poor little guy - he needs a hug! He wants his mum!" cooed Lily.

James looked at her with a look of sickening bewilderment on his face, and muttered, "Why do women think that everything can be solved with a hug?"


	10. Chapter 10

**Disclaimer: Not mine.**

**Beta: loonygrl90**

**CHAPTER TEN**

: MAYHEM AT THE MINISTRY"Well, that doesn't really concern Harry too much, so he's safe enough," said James happily.**: Mr. Weasley woke them after only a few hours' sleep. He used magic to pack up the tents, and they left the campsite as quickly as possible, passing Mr Roberts at the door of his cottage. Mr Roberts had a strange, dazed look about him, and he waved them off with a vague "Merry Christmas".**They all looked at each other, startled.**: "He'll be all right," said Mr Weasley quietly, as they marched off onto the moor. "Sometimes, when a person's memory's modified, it makes them a bit disorientated for a while ... and that was a big thing they had to make him forget."   
**  
"True," said James.

"Makes sense, I suppose," said Remus.  
**   
: They heard urgent voices as they approached the spot where the Portkeys lay, and when they reached it, they found a great number of witches and wizards gathered around Basil, the keeper of the Portkeys, all clamouring to get away from the campsite as quickly as possible.**"Don't blame them," said James.

"Why don't they just Apparate?" said Sirius.

"Not everyone can Apparate, you know," said Remus. "Some of these numbers will be families with children too young to Apparate."**: Mr Weasley had a hurried discussion with Basil; they joined the queue, and were able to take an old rubber tyre back to Stoatshead Hill before the sun had really risen. They walked back through Ottery St. Catchpole towards The Burrow in the dawn light, talking very little because they were so exhausted, and thinking longingly of their breakfast.**"Hmmmm ... breakfast ..." muttered Sirius, closing his eyes and massaging his stomach.**: As they rounded the corner in the lane, and The Burrow came into view, a cry echoed along the damp lane.**

: "Oh, thank goodness, thank goodness!" "Women," muttered Sirius.

"They worry far too much for their own good, you know," said James, knowledgeably.

**: Mrs Weasley, who had evidently been waiting for them in the front yard, came running towards them, still wearing her bedroom slippers, her face pale and strained, a screwed-up copy of the _Daily Prophet_ clutched in her hand. "Arthur - I've been so worried - _so worried_ -" **

: She flung her arms around Mr Weasley's neck, and the _Daily Prophet_ fell out of her limp hand onto the ground. Looking down, Harry saw the headline: SCENES OF TERROR AT THE QUIDDITCH WORLD CUP, complete with a twinkling, black-and-white photograph of the Dark Mark over the tree-tops."Dunno how anyone could have taken a picture of that grotesque thing," spat James.**: "You're all right," Mrs Weasley muttered distractedly, releasing Mr Weasley and staring around at them all with red eyes, "you're alive ... oh, _boys_ ..." **

: And to everybody's surprise, she seized Fred and George and pulled them both into such a tight hug their heads banged together.

: "_Ouch!_ Mum - you're strangling us -" 

: "I shouted at you before you left!" Mr Weasley said, starting to sob. "It's all I've been thinking about! What if You-Know-Who had got you, and that last thing I ever said to you was that you didn't get enough O.W.Ls? Oh, Fred ... George ..." "She's nuts," said Sirius simply.

"No she's not, she's just a caring mother!" said Lily.

"I wouldn't know about one of those," muttered Sirius, more to himself than anyone else.  
**   
: "Come on, now, Molly, we're all perfectly OK," said Mr Weasley soothingly, prising her off the twins and leading her back towards the house. "Bill," he added in an undertone, "pick up that paper, I want to see what it says ..." **

: When they were all crammed into the tiny kitchen, and Hermione had made Mrs Weasley a cup of very strong tea, into which Mr Weasley insisted on pouring a shot of Ogden's Old Firewisky, Bill handed his father the newspaper. Mr Weasley scanned the front page while Percy looked over his shoulder.

: "I knew it," said Mr Weasley heavily. "_Ministry blunders ... culprits not apprehended ... lax security ... Dark wizards running unchecked ... national disgrace_ ... Who wrote this? Ah ... of course ... Rita Skeeter." "Nice rhyming name," said James grinning.

Sirius was chuckling.

**: "That woman's got it in for the Ministry of Magic!" said Percy furiously. "Last week she was saying we're wasting our time quibbling about cauldron thickness, when we should be stamping out vampires! **"Well, you are," said Sirius.**: As if it wasn't _specifically_ stated in paragraph twelve of the _Guidelines for the Treatment of Non-Wizard Part-Humans -_"**

: "Do us a favour, Perce," said Bill, yawning, "and shut up."   
  
"Yes! Thank you! Someone needed to say it!" said James.  
**   
: "I'm mentioned," said Mr Weasley, his eyes widening behind his glasses as he reached the bottom of the _Daily Prophet_ article.**

: "Where?" spluttered Mrs Weasley, choking on her tea and whisky. "If I'd seen that, I'd have known you were alive!" 

: "Not by name," said Mr Weasley. "Listen to this: '_If the terrified wizards and witches who waited breathlessly for news at the edge of the wood expected reassurance from the Ministry of Magic, they were sadly disappointed. A Ministry official emerged some time after the appearance of the Dark Mark, alleging that nobody had been hurt, but refusing to give any more information. Whether this statement will be enough to quash the rumours that several bodies were removed from the woods an hour later, remains to be seen_' Oh, really," said Mr Weasley in exasperation, handing the paper to Percy. "Nobody _was_ hurt, what was I supposed to say? _Rumours that several bodies were removed from the woods ..._ well, there certainly will be rumours now she's printed that." "This Skeeter woman sounds like a right pain!" said James, frowning.**: He heaved a deep sigh. "Molly, I'm going to have to go into the office, this is going to take some smoothing over."**

: "I'll come with you, Father," said Percy importantly. "Mr Crouch will need all hands on deck. And I can give him my cauldron report in person.""Who cares about some stupid cauldron report!" said Sirius. "Not now everything's been stirred up by the appearance of the Dark Mark!"**: He bustled out of the kitchen.**

: Mrs Weasley looked most upset. "Arthur, you're supposed to be on holiday! This hasn't got anything to do with your office, surely they can handle this without you?" 

: "I've got to go, Molly," said Mr Weasley, "I've made things worse. I'll just change into my robes and I'll be off ..."  
  
"That's nice of him to help, when he doesn't really have to," said Lily.

"Yeah, but if he made it worse ..." said Sirius.

"But all he did was tell the truth," said James. "I mean, any other person wouldn't go in and help out because of that."

**: "Mrs Weasley," said Harry suddenly, unable to contain himself, "Hedwig hasn't been with a letter for me, has she?"**

: "Hedwig, dear?" said Mrs Weasley distractedly. "No ...no, there hasn't been any post at all." "Hmm, Harry's obviously still wanting your answer," said Remus to Sirius.

"Well, if I'm hiding somewhere, it'll be a place hard to find, and the owl won't make that in a couple of days, will she?" **: Ron and Hermione looked curiously at Harry.**

: With a meaningful look at both of them he said, "All right if I go and dump my stuff in your room, Ron?" 

: "Yeah ... think I will, too," said Ron at once. "Hermione?" 

: "Yes, she said quickly, and the three of them marched out of the kitchen and up the stairs.

: "What's up, Harry?" said Ron, the moment they had closed the door of the attic room behind them.

: "There's something I haven't told you," Harry said. "On Sunday morning, I woke up with my scar hurting again.

: Ron and Hermione's reactions were almost exactly as Harry had imagined them back in Privet Drive. Hermione gasped and started making suggestions at once, mentioning a number of reference books, and everybody from Albus Dumbledore to Madam Pomfrey, the Hogwarts matron.Remus chuckled, and shook his head.  
**   
: Ron simply looked dumbstruck.**"That's what you look like, Remus, when you're asked a question in Potions," said Sirius.   
Remus threw a book at him.

"Oooooh, touchy, aren't we?" 

"Shut up, Sirius. 

"Ooooooooh!" 

Remus folded his arms in a huff.**: "But - he wasn't there, was he? You-Know-Who? I mean - last time your scar kept hurting, he was at Hogwarts, wasn't he?" **

: "I'm sure he wasn't in Privet Drive," said Harry. "But I was dreaming about him ... him and Peter - you know, Wormtail. I can't remember all of it now, but they were plotting to kill ... someone." "It was you, and you know it was you, Harry!" said James.

"But he won't want to tell them that because they'll fuss," said Remus.

**: He had teetered for a moment on the verge of saying "me", but he couldn't bring himself to make Hermione look any more horrified than she already did.**

: "It was only a dream," said Ron bracingly. "Just a nightmare." 

: "Yeah, but was it, though?" said Harry, turning to look out of the window at the brightening sky. "It's weird, isn't it ... my scar hurts, and three days later the Death Eaters are on the march, and Voldemort's sign's up in the sky again." 

: "Don't - say - his - name!" Ron hissed through gritted teeth."Why not, it's his name," said James defiantly. "It's stupid calling him You-Know-Who, for God's sake!" **: "And remember what Professor Trelawney said?" Harry went on, ignoring Ron. "At the end of last year?"**

: "Professor Trelawney was their Divination teacher at Hogwarts."Yeah, we know who she is, thank you!" said Sirius sarcastically.**: Hermione's terrified look vanished as she let out a derisive snort. "Oh, Harry, you aren't going to pay any attention to anything that old fraud says?"**

: "You weren't there," said Harry. "You didn't hear her. This time was different. I told you, she went into a trance - a real one. And she said the Dark Lord would rise again - _greater and more terrible than ever before_ ... and he'd manage it because his servant was going to go back to him ... and that night Wormtail escaped." 

: There was a silence in which Ron fidgeted absent-mindedly with a hole in his Chudley Cannons bedspread.

: "Why were you asking if Hedwig had come, Harry? Hermione asked."Well, obviously he's expecting a letter!" said Sirius, as though Hermione was stupid.  
**   
: "Are you expecting a letter?" **"Well, duh!" added James.**: "I told Sirius about my scar," said Harry shrugging. "I'm waiting for his answer." **

: "Good thinking!" said Ron, his expression clearing. "I bet Sirius'll know what to do!"

: "I hoped he'd get back to me quickly," said Harry.

: "But he don't know where Sirius is ... he could be in Africa or somewhere, couldn't he?" said Hermione reasonably. "Hedwig's not going to manage _that_ journey in a few days."

: "Yeah, I know," said Harry, but there was a laden feeling in his stomach as he looked out of the window at the Hedwig-free sky."He needs a -" began Lily, but James cut her off.

"If you say he needs a hug once more, I'll ... I'll ... I'll ..."

"You'll what?" said Lily mischievously. "You'll shut me up?"

"No, I can't shut you up - you're a girl. I can't fight a girl, it's against the rules."

"Don't be stupid!" 

"No honestly, any guy who fights a girl needs his head examined, because it just isn't done. And that's that - no point in arguing!"

**: "Come and have a game of Quidditch in the orchard, Harry," said Ron.**James' eyes glinted with excitement once more.**: Come on - three on three, Bill, Charlie and Fred and George will play ... you can try out the Wronski Feint ..." **"Excellent!" said James. "That'll take his mind of things!"

"But he's tired, he should go to sleep!" said Lily, in a fussy voice.**: "Ron," said Hermione, in an I-don't-think-you're-being-very-sensitive sort of voice, **"What is it with women?" muttered Sirius in total bewilderment.**: "Harry doesn't want to play Quidditch right now ... **"Are you _wise_?" said James in exasperation.  
**   
: he's worried, and he's tired ... we all need to go to bed ..."**

: "Yeah,I want to play Quidditch," said Harry suddenly. "Hang on, I'll get my Firebolt." Sirius swelled with pride with the mention of Harry's broomstick.

"That's the best thing anyone will ever buy him," said James happily, grinning at Sirius.

"You don't think I know that?" said Sirius smugly.

"Probably, or you wouldn't have bought him it, but I appreciate it all the same, mate."

"It's nothing ... he's my godson. I'd get anything for him!"

"Just so long as you don't spoil him," said Lily sternly. 

And no one dared argue with her.**: Hermione left the room, muttering something which sounded very much like "_Boys_".   
**  
"What, so women don't understand men, just as much as men don't understand women?" said James, as though the thought had never occured to him before.

"Sometimes," said Lily. "Though women manage to pick up habits of men after a while."

"Really? I don't pay that much attention to be quite honest," said Sirius.

James, however, was gazing at Lily with a goofy grin of his face.

**: Neither Mr Weasley nor Percy was at home much over the following week.**"Well, I doubt that any of them missed the bossy-boots, show off, know-it-all much," said Sirius in disgust.**: Both left the house each morning before the rest of the family got up, and returned well after dinner every night.**

: "It's been absolute uproar," Percy told them importantly, the Sunday evening before they were due to return to Hogwarts. "I've been putting out fires all week. People keep sending Howlers and of course, if you don't open a Howler straight away, it explodes. Scorch marks all over my desk and my best quill reduced to cinders."

: "Why are they all sending Howlers?" asked Ginny, who was mending her copy of _One Thousand Magical Herbs and Fungi_ with Spellotape on the rug in front of the living-room fire.

: "Complaining about security at the World Cup," said Percy. "They want compensation for their ruined property."Don't blame them," said James. "I'd be ticked off, too, if my stuff was all ruined due to those Dark Arts nutters!" **: Mundungus Fletcher's put in a claim for a twelve-bedroomed tent with en-suit Jacuzzi, but I've got his number. I know for a fact he was sleeping under a cloak propped on sticks." **"Sounds like the kind of thing Mundungus would do," muttered Sirius, a grin on his face.**: Mrs Weasley glanced at the grandfather clock in the corner. Harry liked this clock. It was completely useless if you wanted to know the time, but otherwise very informative. It had nine golden hands, and each of them was engraved with one of the Weasley family's names. There were no numerals around the face, but descriptions of where each family member might be. "Home", "school" and "work" were there, but there was also "lost", "hospital, "prison" and, in the position where the number twelve would be on a normal clock, "mortal peril".**

"Nice," said James.**: Eight of the hands were currently pointing at the "home" position, but Mr Weasley's, which was the longest, was still pointing at "work". Mrs Weasley sighed.**

: "Your father hasn't had to go into the office at weekends since the days of You-Know-Who," she said. "They're working him far too hard. His dinner's going to be ruined if he doesn't come home soon."

"Speaking of dinner, I'm hungry, what time is it?" said Sirius.

"You've got a watch on, why don't you look at it," said Remus.

"Oh, yeah! So I do!" said Sirius brightly, looking at his watch and brandishing it in front of everyone.

**: "Well, Father feels he's got to make up for his mistake at the match, doesn't he?" said Percy.**"What?" said James in outrage. "All he did was tell the truth!" 

**: "If truth be told, he was a tad unwise to make a public statement without clearing it with his Head of Department first -" **

"I thought he was the Head of Department?" said Lily.

"Wasn't even a proper public statement! He was just reassuring a few people!" stormed James.**: "Don't you dare blame your father for what that wretched Skeeter woman wrote!" said Mrs Weasley, flaring up at once.**

: "If Dad hadn't said anything, old Rita would just have said it was disgraceful that nobody from the Ministry had commented," said Bill, who was playing chess with Ron. "Rita Skeeter never makes anyone look good. Remember, she interviewed all the Gringotts' curse breakers once, and called me a 'long-haired pillock'?"  
  
"Nice," said Sirius sarcastically.  
**   
: "Well, it _is_ a bit long, dear," said Mrs Weasley gently. "If you'd just let me -" **

: "_No_, Mum." They chuckled.

**: Rain lashed against the living-room window. Hermione was immersed in _The Standard Book of Spells, Grade 4_, copies of which Mrs Weasley had bought for her, Harry and Ron in Diagon Alley.**"Boring," said James loudly.**: Charlie was darning a fireproof balaclava. Harry was polishing his Firebolt, the Broomstick Servicing Kit Hermione had given him for his thirteenth birthday open at his feet.**James smiled.

Lily tutted and rolled her eyes.  
**   
: Fred and George were sitting in a far corner, quills out, talking in whispers, their heads bent over a piece of parchment.  
**  
"Why is something telling me that they're up to something," said Lily.

"Because you're a woman," said Remus.**: "What are you two up to?" said Mrs Weasley sharply, her eyes on the twins.**

: "Homework," said Fred vaguely.

: "Don't be ridiculous, you're still on holiday," said Mrs Weasley.

: "Yeah, we've left it a bit late," said George.

: "You're not by any chance writing out a new _order form_, are you?" said Mrs Weasley shrewdly. "You wouldn't be thinking of restarting _Weasleys Wizard Wheezes_, by any chance?""Why are mothers always right," said Sirius huffily.

"Why are they so suspicious?" added James.

"Because they're women," said Remus, as if it was the answer to everything.

Lily looked at them all as if they were all stupid.

**: "Now, Mum," said Fred, looking up at her, a pained look in his face. "If the Hogwarts Express crashed tomorrow, and George and I died, how would you feel knowing that the last thing we ever heard from you was an unfounded accusation?"**

: Everyone laughed, even Mrs Weasley.  
  
Everyone laughed in James Potter's bedroom as well.

"Nice come-back," said Sirius, impressed.**: "Oh, your father's coming!" she said suddenly, looking up at the clock again.**

: Mr Weasley's hand had suddenly gone from 'work' to 'travelling'; a second later it had shuddered to a halt on 'home' with the others, and they heard him calling from the kitchen.

: "Coming Arthur!" called Mrs Weasley, hurrying out of the room.

: A few moments later, Mr Weasley had come into the warm living room, carrying his dinner on a tray. He looked completely exhausted."Poor guy," said Remus. "They're certainly putting him through his paces."

"All for telling the Goddamned truth!" snorted James.

**: "Well, the fat's really in the fire now," he told Mrs Weasley as he sat down in an armchair near the fire and toyed unenthusiastically with his somewhat shrivelled cauliflower. "Rita Skeeter's been ferreting about all week, looking for more Ministry mess-ups to report. And now she's found out about poor old Bertha going missing, so that'll be the headline in the _Prophet_ tomorrow. I _told_ Bagman he should have sent someone to look for her ages ago."**

: "Mr Crouch has been saying it for weeks and weeks," said Percy swiftly."Who cares what Mr Crouch thinks or says?" said Remus and James together in the same irritable tone.**: "Crouch is very lucky Rita hasn't found out about Winky," said Mr Weasley irritably.**"See, you don't have to keep mentioning the fact that you work with Crouch and quoting him every time the Ministry pops into conversation!" said Sirius, who sounded just as irritated as Remus and James.**: "There'd be a week's worth of headlines in his house-elf being caught holding the wand that conjured the Dark Mark."**

: "I thought we were all agreed that that elf, while irresponsible, did _not_ conjure the Mark," said Percy hotly.  
  
"True, she probably didn't, but the Skeeter woman wouldn't print that, would she," said Sirius, as though Percy was being stupid.

**: "If you ask me, Mr Crouch is very lucky no one at the_ Daily Prophet_ knows how mean he is to elves!" said Hermione angrily.**

: "Now look here, Hermione," said Percy. "A high-ranking Ministry official like Mr Crouch deserves unswerving obedience from his servants -"

: "His _slave_, you mean!" said Hermione, her voice rising shrilly. "Because he didn't _pay_ Winky, did he?"   
  
"True," said Remus.**: "I think you'd all better go upstairs and check that you've packed properly!" said Mrs Weasley, breaking up the argument. "Come on, now, all of you ..."   
**  
"Saved by mummy, there," said Sirius, and they all knew it was directed at Percy Weasley. **: Harry repacked his Broomstick Servicing Kit, put his Firebolt over his shoulder and went back upstairs with Ron.**"I wonder if they've even started to pack at all," said Lily suspiciously.

At these words, the boys all looked at each other, and seemed to silently agree that Remus' earlier comment was, indeed, a correct one ... 'It's because they're women ...'

**: The rain sounded even harder at the top of the house, accompanied by loud whistlings and moans from the wind, not to mention sporadic howls from the ghoul who lived in the attic.**"I'm sure there used to be a ghoul here once," said James. "But Mum got rid of it."

"Really? How?" said Remus with great interest.

"I can't remember, I was really little, but Dad insists that she chased it all through the house with a rolling-pin in her hand."  
**   
: Pigwidgeon began twittering and zooming around his cage again when they entered. The sight of the half-packed trunks seemed to have sent him into a frenzy of excitment.  
**  
"Nutty owl," muttered Sirius.

James smiled at Sirius and said, "Well, I think it's right to say that only you could find an owl like that, Sirius!" **: "Bung him some Owl Treats," said Ron, throwing a packet across to Harry, "it might shut him up." **

: Harry poked a few Owl Treats through the bars of Pigwidgeon's cage, then turned to his trunk. Hedwig's cage stood next to it, still empty.

: "It's been over a week," Harry said, looking at Hedwig's deserted perch. "Ron, you don't reckon Sirius has been caught, do you?" "I hope not," said Sirius, shuddering.

"It's like Hermione said, Harry, Hedwig won't make the journey in a few days ... give it time," said James. "Sirius might be having trouble getting an answer to you, or something."

**: "Nah, it would've been in the _Daily Prophet_," said Ron. "The Ministry would want to show they'd caught _someone_, wouldn't they?" **

: "Yeah, I suppose ..." 

: "Look, here's the stuff Mum got for you in Diagon Alley. And she's got some gold out of your vault for you ... and she's washed all your socks." "Your Mum's like that with me!" said Sirius, with a big smile on his face. "She's always washing my socks." 

"I know - you have your very own sock-drawer here, idiot!" said James.**: He heaved a pile of parcels onto Harry's camp bed and dropped the money bag and a load of socks next to it. Harry started unwrapping the shopping. Apart from _The Standard Book of Spells, Grade 4_, by Miranda Goshawk, he had a handful of new quills, a dozen rolls of parchment and refills for his potion-making kit - he had been running low on spine of lionfish and essence of belladonna.**"Snape's class," growled Sirius.

"I hope he's nicer to Harry this year," said James, though it sounded as though he knew Snape wouldn't be.

**: He was just piling underwear into his cauldron when Ron made a loud noise of disgust behind him.  
**  
"Hey - Harry's underwear isn't that bad, I'm sure!" snapped Lily.**: "What is _that_ supposed to be?"**

: He was holding up something that looked to Harry like a long, maroon velvet dress. It had a mouldy-looking lace frill at the collar and matching lace cuffs."Urgh," they all said together.**: There was a knock on the door, and Mrs Weasley entered, carrying an armful of freshly laundered Hogwarts robes.**

: "Here you are," she said, sorting them into two. "Now, mind you pack them properly so they don't crease."

: "Mum, you've given me Ginny's new dress," said Ron, holding it out to her.

: "Of course I haven't," said Mrs Weasley. "That's for you. Dress robes." 

"Poor Ron, he's gonna look like a right girl!" said Sirius, though he sounded more amused than sympathetic.

**: "_What?_" said Ron, looking horror-struck.**

: "Dress robes!" repeated Mrs Weasley. "It says on your school list that you're supposed to have dress robes this year ... robes for formal occasions." 

: "You've got to be kidding," said Ron in disbelief. "I'm not wearing that, no way." "He'll have to, though, if there's a party, " said Lily.

"There's not often a party on at Hogwarts, though," said James, "IS there?"

The others shrugged.

**: "Everyone wears them, Ron!" said Mrs Weasley crossly. "They're all like that! Your father's got some for smart parties!"**

: "I'll go starkers before I put that on," said Ron stubbornly.

: "Don't be so silly," said Mrs Weasley, "you've got to have dress robes, they're on your list! I got some for Harry, too ... show him, Harry ..." "Oh my gosh, if she's picked frilly ones out for Ron, she might have done for Harry as well," said Lily, sounding horrified.

"Jesus!" cursed James. "I never thought of that!"   
**   
: In some trepidation, Harry opened the last parcel on is camp bed. It wasn't as bad as he had expected, however; his dress robes didn't have any lace on them at all; in fact, they were more or less the same as his school ones, except that they were bottle green instead of black.  
**  
"Phew!" they all said.

"That's all right, then," said Lily brightly.  
**  
: "I thought they'd bring out the colour of your eyes, dear," said Mrs Weasley fondly.   
**  
The boys all snorted in disgust at such a girly comment and looked at Lily for some sort of explanation. She merely shrugged, however.**: "Well, they're OK!" said Ron angrily, looking at Harry's robes. "Why couldn't I have some like that?"**

Because ... well, I had to get yours second-hand, and there wasn't a lot of choice!" said Mrs Weasley, flushing.

"At least she picked the best of the lot, eh?" said James.

**: Harry looked away. He would willingly have split all the money in his Gringotts vault with the Weasleys, but he knew they would never take it.**"Nah, they're good people," said Remus.

"Yup!" agreed Sirius.

"It's nice to see that there are families that don't value money over everything," said James.

"Unlike dear old Lucius ..." growled Sirius.**: "I'm never wearing them," Ron was saying stubbornly. "Never."   
**  
They all chuckled.**: "Fine," snapped Mrs Weasley. "Go naked. And Harry, make sure you get a picture of him. Goodness knows I could do with a laugh." **

: She left the room, slamming the door behind her."Ah, the Weasley temper," said James. "An argument, you'll never win."   
**   
: There was a funny noise from behind them. Pigwidgeon was choking on an overlarge Owl Treat.**"Why does that not surprise me?" said Remus, and he looked at Sirius.

"Hey - I only choked on my food once!" said Sirius.

Remus nodded his head, but in a sarcastic fashion.**: "Why is everything I own rubbish?" said Ron furiously, striding across the room to unstick Pigwidgeon's beak.  
**  
"Not everything," said James. "He has a room, and a family." 

"True," said the others.

"That's the end of the chapter, and I'm sick of reading - my throat's really dry," he said.

Remus took the book.


	11. Chapter 11

**Disclaimer: I don't think I should even bother writing this.**

**Beta: loonygrl90S**

**CHAPTER ELEVEN**

: ABOARD THE HOGWARTS EXPRESS"Excellent! They're off to Hogwarts!" said James.**: There was a definite end-of-the-holidays gloom in the air when Harry awoke the next morning. Heavy rain was still splattering against the window as he got dressed in jeans and a sweatshirt; they would change into their school robes on the Hogwarts Express.**

: He, Ron, Fred and George had just reached the first-floor landing on their way down to breakfast, when Mrs Weasley appeared at the foot of the stairs looking harassed.

: "Arthur!" she called up the staircase, "Arthur! Urgent message from the Ministry!" 

: Harry flattened himself against the wall as Mr Weasley came clattering past with his robes on back-to-front, and hurtled out of sight. When Harry and the others entered the kitchen, they saw Mrs Weasley rummaging anxiously in the dresser drawers - "I've got a quill here somewhere!" - and Mr Weasley bending over the fire, talking to - 

: Harry shut his eyes hard and opened them again to make sure that they were working properly."What's the matter?" said Lily, sounding slightly anxious.

**: Amos Diggory's head was sitting in the middle of the flames like a large bearded egg. It was talking very fast, completely unpertubed by the sparks flying around it and the flames licking its ears.**"Oh!" said James, laughing as he talked. "He's just seen someone talking for the first time through fireplaces!" **: "... Muggle neighbours heard bangs and shouting, so they went and called those what-d'you-call-'ems - please-men.**Lily laughed. Then James joined in.

"They mean policemen," they said together.

Then Remus and Sirius joined in the laughter.**: Arthur, you've got to get over there -" **

: "Here!" said Mrs Weasley breathlessly, pushing a piece of parchment, a bottle of ink and a crumpled quill into Mr Weasley's hands.

: "- it's a real stroke of luck I heard about it," said Mr Diggory's head, "I had to come into the office early to send a couple of owls, and I found the Improper Use of Magic lot all setting off - if Rita Skeeter gets hold of this one, Arthur -" "Who cares about some stupid reporter!" snorted Sirius.

"The Ministry's had a bad couple of weeks as it it, they don't want more blunders!" said Remus.

**: "What does Mad-Eye say happened?" asked Mr Weasley, unscrewing the ink bottle, loading up his quill an preparing to take notes.**

: Mr Diggory's head rolled its eyes. "Says he heard an intruder in his year. Says they were creeping towards the house, but they were ambushed by his dustbins." "_What?_" they all said, exasperated.  
**   
: "What did the dustbins do?" asked Mr Weasley, scribbling frantically.**

: "Made one hell of a noise and fired rubbish everywhere, as far as I can tell," said Mr Diggory. "Apparently one of them was still rocketing around when the please-men turned up -"

: Mr Weasley groaned. "And what about the intruder?" 

: "Arthur, you know Mad-Eye," said Mr Diggory's head, rolling its eyes again. "Someone creeping in his yard at the dead of night? More likely there's a shell-shocked cat wandering around somewhere, covered in potato peelings.They chuckled.

"This guy sounds like a nutter," said James.  
**  
: But if the Improper Use of Magic lot get their hands on Mad-Eye, he's had it - think of his record - we've got to get him off on a minor charge, something in your department - what are exploding dustbins worth?" **

: "Might be a caution," said Mr Weasley, still writing very fast, his brow furrowed. "Mad-Eye didn't use his wand? He didn't actually attack anyone?"

: "I'll bet he leapt out of bed and started jinxing everything he could reach through the window," said Mr Diggory, "but they'll have a job proving it, there aren't any casualties."Remus frowned in thought.

"What's the point in telling us all this?" said James.

"It's funny," said Sirius.  
**  
: "All right, I'm off," Mr Weasley said, and he stuffed the parchment with his notes on it into his pocket and dashed out of the kitchen again.**

: Mr Diggory's head looked around at Mrs Weasley.

: "Sorry about this, Molly," it said, more calmly, "bothering you so early and everything ... but Arthur's the only one who can get Mad-Eye off, and Mad-Eye's supposed to be starting his new job today. Why he had to choose last night ..."  
  
"Maybe he didn't choose it, though," said James. "Someone might've actually attacked him."

"He sounds like a complete nutter!" said Sirius, as though it answered everything.  
**   
: "Never mind, Amos," said Mrs Weasley. "Sure you won't have a bit of toast or anything before you go?"**

: "Oh, go on, then," said Mr Diggory.

: Mrs Weasley took a piece of buttered toast from a stack on the kitchen table, put it into the fire tongs and transferred it into Mr Diggory's mouth."It's cool how we can do that!" said Lily, smiling.

**: "Fanks," he said in a muffled voice, and then, with a small _pop_, vanished.**

: Harry could hear Mr Weasley calling hurried goodbyes to Bill, Charlie, Percy and the girls. Within five minutes, he was back in the kitchen, his robes the right way now, dragging a comb through his hair.

: "I'd better hurry - you have a good term, boys," said Mr Weasley to Harry, Ron and the twins, dragging a cloak over his shoulders and preparing to Disapparate. "Molly, are you going to be all right taking the kids to King's Cross?" 

: "Of course I will," she said. "You just look after Mad-Eye, we'll be fine." "What kind of name is Mad-Eye anyway?" said James incrediously.  
"Maybe he's got a glass eye or something," said Sirius eagerly.**: As Mr Weasley vanished, Bill and Charlie entered the kitchen.**

: "Did someone say Mad-Eye?" Bill asked. "What's he been up to now?"

: "He says someone tried to break into his house last night," said Mrs Weasley.

: "Mad-Eye Moody?" said George thoughtfully, spreading marmalade on his toast. "Isn't he that nutter -" 

: "Your father thinks very highly of Mad-Eye Moody," said Mrs Weasley sternly.  
  
"That doesn't stop him from being a nutter," said James.**: "Yeah, well, Dad collects plugs, doesn't he?" said Fred quietly, as Mrs Weasley left the room. "Birds of a feather ..." **They all chuckled.**: "Moody was a great wizard in his time," said Bill.**

: "He's an old friend of Dumbledore's isn't he?" said Charlie."What, and Dumbledore's normal?" said Remus.

"Of course he's not - that's what makes him cool!" said James.

"Damn straight!" said Sirius.**: "Dumbledore's not what you'd call _normal_, though, is he?" said Fred. "I mean, I know he's a genius and everything ..." **

: "Who _is_ Mad-Eye?" asked Harry."An excellent question, son!" said James.**: "He's retired, used to work at the Ministry," said Charlie. "I met him once when Dad took me into work with him. He was an Auror - one of the best ... **"Cooooooool," they all said in impressed wonder.

: ... a Dark-wizard catcher," he added, seeing Harry's blank look.James smacked his head. "I keep forgetting he knows little of the magic world!"

"No thanks to those Muggle idiots he has to live with!" said Sirius pounding his fists.  
**   
: "Half the cells in Azkaban are full because of him. He made himself loads of enemies, though ... the families of people he caught, mainly ... and I heard he's been getting really paranoid in his old age. Doesn't trust anyone any more. Sees Dark wizards everywhere." **"Maybe it's because they _are_ everywhere," said Sirius.

"Oh, don't say things like that, it's not funny!" said Lily anxiously.**: Bill and Charlie decided to come and see everyone off at King's Cross station, but Percy, apologising most profusely, said that he really needed to get to work.**

: "I just can't justify taking more time off at the moment," he told them. "Mr Crouch is really starting to rely on me.""Really, in what way?" asked Remus with sarcastic interest.**: "Yeah, you know what, Percy?" said George seriously. "I reckon he'll know your name soon." **They all burst out laughing.  
**   
: Mrs Weasley had braved the telephone in the village Post Office to order three ordinary Muggle taxis to take them to London.**"That'll not come in cheap," said Remus.**: "Arthur tried to borrow Ministry cars for us," Mrs Weasley whispered to Harry as they stood in the rain-washed yard, watching the taxi drivers heaving six heavy Hogwarts trunks into their cars. "But there weren't any to spare ... oh dear, they don't look happy, do they?"**"Why aren't they happy? They've got a good money customer!" said James.

"They'll not be happy that there's loads of trunks and people," said Remus.

"But that's their job! They're supposed to drive people and their luggage around the country - that's what they get paid for!"  
**  
: Harry didn't like to tell Mrs Weasley that Muggle taxi drivers rarely transported owls, and Pigwidgeon was making an ear-splitting racket.**"OK, the owls are understandable, but, still!" huffed James.

**: Nor did it help that a number of Dr Filibuster's Fabulous No-Heat, Wet-Start Fireworks went off unexpectedly when Fred's trunk sprang open, causing the driver carrying it to yell with fright and pain as Crookshanks clawed his way up the man's leg.  
**  
They all laughed, then hastily winced.**: The journey was uncomfortable, owing to the fact that they were jammed in the back of the taxis with their trunks. Crookshanks took quite a while to recover from the fireworks, and by the time they entered London, Harry, Ron and Hermione were all severely scratched.**"Hey! No cat messes with my son! When I find you and get my hands on you, you'll be terrified to even expose your claws, never mind use them!" stormed Lily.

"Woah, Prongs, mate ... I think your days are numbered ..." said Sirius quietly, so that she couldn't hear. "Dunno why you picked her, mate ... she's scary!"**: They were very relieved to get out at King's Cross, even though the rain was coming down harder than ever, and they got soaked carrying their trunks across the busy road and into the station.**

: Harry was used to getting onto platform nine and three-quarters by now. It was a simple matter of walking straight through the apparently solid barrier dividing platforms nine and ten. The only tricky part was doing this in an unobtrusive way, so as to avoid attracting Muggle attention. They did it in groups today; Harry, Ron and Hermione (the most conspicuous, as they were accompanied by Pigwidgeon and Crookshanks) went first; they leant casually against the barrier, chatting unconcernedly, and slid sideways through it ... and as they did so, platform nine and three-quarters materialised in front of them.  
  
James sighed happily. Harry was on his way back to Hogwarts, where he belonged.  
**   
: The Hogwarts Express, gleaming scarlet steam engine, was already there, clouds of steam billowing from it, through which many Hogwarts students and parents on the platform appeared like dark ghosts. Pigwidgeon became noisier than ever in response to the hooting of many owls through the mist.**They all looked at Sirius.

"Hey! Just because it's nuts doesn't make it my fault!" he protested.

The merely continued to look at him until he threw pillows at them to make them look away.  
**   
: Harry, Ron and Hermione set off to find seats, and were soon stowing their luggage in a compartment halfway along the train. They then hopped back down onto the platform, to say goodbye to Mrs Weasley, Bill and Charlie.  
**  
"Aww ... that's nice of them," said Lily. "I say bye to my parents before I get to the platform."

**: "I might be seeing you all sooner than you think," said Charlie, grinning, as he hugged Ginny goodbye.**"Huh?" they all said stupidly.**: "Why?" said Fred keenly.**

: "You'll see," said Charlie. "Just don't tell Percy I mentioned it ... it's 'classified information until such time as the Ministry sees fit to release it', after all.""It must be something to do with that top-secret thing he was harping on about ..." said James.

"What, are they sending dragons to Hogwarts, or something?" said Remus.

"I hope not," said Lily, looking terrified at the very thought of it.  
**   
: "Yeah, I sort of wish I was back at Hogwarts this year," said Bill, hands in his pockets, looking almost wistfully at the train.**

: "_Why?_" said George impatiently.

: "You're going to have an interesting year," said Bill, his eyes twinkling. "I might even get time off to come and watch a bit of it ..." 

: "A bit of _what?_" said Ron.  
  
"Yeah, a bit of what?" repeated James.

"It must be a sort of contest, or something," said Sirius.  
**  
: But at that moment, the whistle blew, and Mrs Weasley chivvied them towards the train doors.**

: "Thanks for having us to stay, Mrs Weasley," said Hermione, as they climbed on board, closed the door and leant out of the window to talk to her.

: "Yeah, thanks for everything, Mrs Weasley," said Harry.  
  
"My boy! Polite as ever!" cooed Lily proudly.

James rolled his eyes.  
**   
: "Oh, it was my pleasure, dears," said Mrs Weasley. "I'd invite you for Christmas, but ... well, I expect you're all going to want to stay at Hogwarts, what with ... one thing and another."   
**  
"Why can't they just come out with it, for God's sake!" said Sirius in frustration.**: "Mum!" said Ron irritably. "What d'you three know that we don't?" **"Yeah!" they all stormed.**: "You'll find out this evening, I expect," said Mrs Weasley, smiling. "It's going to be very exciting - mind you, I'm very glad they've changed the rules -" **"What rules?" they all said at once.

"I hate it when mothers do this!" muttered James irritably. "They mention something, give you all these hints, but do it in a way that you can never guess what it is!" 

**: "What rules?" said Harry, Ron, Fred and George together.**

: "I'm sure Professor Dumbledore will tell you ... now, behave, won't you? _Won't_ you, Fred? And you, George?" "Mum asks me that every time I get on the train as well," said James thoughtfully. "You'd think she'd've given up by now ... normally within a week she's been sent owls from McGonagall saying I've done something stupid again."

"Damn right," said Sirius, giggling.  
**   
: The pistons hissed loudly, and the train began to move.**

: "Tell us what's happening at Hogwarts!" Fred bellowed out of the window, as Mrs Weasley, Bill and Charlie sped away from them. "What rules are they changing?" "No point asking them now, is there?" said Sirius, sounding highly disappointed.

"They'll be at Hogwarts soon enough anyway," said Lily.  
**   
: But Mrs Weasley only smiled and waved. Before the train had rounded the corner, she, Bill and Charlie had Disapparated.**

: Harry, Ron and Hermione went back to their compartment. The thick rain splattering the windows made it difficult to see out of them. Ron undid his trunk, pulled out his maroon dress robes, and flung them over Pigwidgeon's cage to muffle his hooting.Remus shook his head and muttered, "Sirius never shuts up, either."

"But you wouldn't have me any other way , would you, Moony?" said Sirius sweetly.

Remus looked at him.

"Come on, Remus, admit it, you love every minute we're together. Me and James are the best laughs you will ever meet!"

Remus chuckled and shook his head again.  
**   
: "Bagman wanted to tell us what's happening at Hogwarts," he said grumpily, sitting down next to Harry. "At the World Cup, remember? But my own mother won't say. Wonder what -"**

: "SHH!" Hermione whispered suddenly, pressing her finger to her lips and pointing towards the compartment next to theirs. Harry and Ron listened, and heard a familiar drawling voice drifting through the open door."Go in and punch Malfoy's face for him," said Sirius. "He deserves it after their meeting at the World Cup!"**: "... Father actually considered sending me to Durmstrang rather than Hogwarts, you know. He knows the Headmaster, you see. Well, you know his opinion of Dumbledore - the man's such a Mudblood-lover - **James tensed, but said nothing.  
**   
: and Durmstrang doesn't admit that sort of riff-raff. But Mother didn't like the idea of me going to school so far away.**"Awww, does Mummy worry about poor baby Draco? Bless him," cooed Sirius sarcastically. "I bet she kissed his feet and folds his underpants, too!"  
**   
: Father says Durmstrang takes a far more sensible line than Hogwarts about the Dark Arts. Durmstrang students actually _learn_ them, not just the defence rubbish we do ..."  
**  
"And this is a sensible line?" said Lily crossly.

"No wonder there's so many Dark Wizards!" stormed James.

Sirius shrugged.  
**  
: Hermione got up, tiptoed to the compartment door, and slid it shut, blocking out Malfoy's voice.**

: "So he thinks Durmstrang would have suited him, does he?" she said angrily. "I wish he _had_ gone, then we wouldn't have had to put up with him."

: "Durmstrang's another wizarding school?" said Harry.  
  
"I didn't know there were others," said Lily thoughtfully. "I suppose there must be, now I've thought about it. I mean, there are witches and wizards all over the world and they all can't be taught at Hogwarts!"**: "Yes," said Hermione sniffily, "and it's got a horrible reputation. According to _Appraisal of Magical Education in Europe_, it puts a lot of emphasis on the Dark Arts.**

: "I think I've heard of it," said Ron vaguely. "Where is it? What country?" "No one knows that," said James.

"Why not?" said Lily.

"Because it's secret."

"I think the schools have a bit of rivalry between them," said Remus.  
**   
: "Well, nobody knows, do they?" said Hermione, raising her eyebrows.**

: "Er - why not?" said Harry.

: "There's traditionally been a lot of rivalry between all the magic schools.  
  
"What a stupid reason to have rivalry - for tradition!" said James. "People are so stupid!" **: "Durmstrang and Beauxbatons like to conceal their whereabouts so nobody can steal their secrets," said Hermione matter-of-factly.**

: "Come off it," said Ron, starting to laugh. "Durmstrang's got to be about the same size as Hogwarts, how are you going to hide a dirty great castle?"  
  
"Isn't Hogwarts hidden as well?" asked Lily.

"I think so," the others replied.  
**  
: "But Hogwarts _is_ hidden," said Hermione, in surprise, "everyone knows that ... well, everyone who's read _Hogwarts: A History_, anyway."**

: "Just you, then," said Ron.  
  
They chuckled.**: "So go on - how d'you hide a place like Hogwarts?"**

: "It's bewitched," said Hermione. "If a Muggle looks at it, all they see is a mouldering old ruin with a sign over the entrance saying DANGER, DO NOT ENTER, UNSAFE."  
  
"I've never seen any such sign," said Sirius.

"That's because you're a wizard, you idiot," said Remus, as though Sirius was stupid.

"I know that, what I meant was, we've never seen it. I mean, we might've been able to if we were at a distance from the castle, but we don't."

"It must have some kind of sense of us being magical," said James.

**: "So Durmstrang'll just look like a ruin to an outsider, too?"**

: "Maybe," said Hermione, shrugging, "or it might have Muggle-Repelling Charms on it, like the World Cup Stadium. And to keep foreign wizards from finding it, they'll have made it unplottable -" 

: "Come again?" 

: "Well, you can enchant a building so it's impossible to plot it on a map, can't you?" 

: "Er ... if you say so," said Harry."It's amazing really how little my son knows about the wizarding world," said James, half sad, half frustrated.

"He'll learn it as he goes along," said Remus. "Most Muggle-borns get along all right."   
**   
: "But I think Durmstrang must be somewhere in the far north," said Hermione thouhtfully. "Somewhere very cold, because they've got fur capes as part of their uniforms."**

: "Ah, think of the possibilities, said Ron dreamily. "It would've been easy to push Malfoy off a glacier and make it look like an accident ... shame his mother likes him ..."   
  
They all burst out laughing.

"Well, it's not funny, really," said Lily, trying, and failing, to keep a straight face.**: The rain became heavier and heavier as the train moved further north. The sky was so dark and the windows so steamy that the lanterns were lit by midday. The lunch trolley came rattling along the corridor, and Harry bought a large stack of Cauldron Cakes for them to share.**

: Several of their friends looked in on them as the afternoon progressed, including Seamus Finnigan, Dean Thomas, and Neville Longbottom, a round-faced, extremely forgetful boy who had been brought up by his formidable witch of a grandmother. Seamus was still wearing his Ireland rosette. Some of its magic seemed to be wearing off now; it was still squeaking "_Troy! Mullet! Moran!_, but in a very feeble an exhausted sort of way. After half an hour or so, Hermione, growing tired of the endless Quidditch talk, buried herself once more in _The Standard Book of Spells, Grade 4_, and started trying to learn a Summoning Charm.  
  
"Strange girl ... working instead of talking about Quidditch - what's the matter with her?" said James, as though he didn't understand at all.**: Neville listened jealously to the others' conversation as they relived the Cup match.**

: "Gran didn't want to go," he said miserably. "Wouldn't buy tickets. It sounded amazing, though." 

: "It was," said Ron. "Look at this, Neville ..." 

: He rummaged in his trunk up in the luggage rack, and pulld out the minature figure of Viktor Krum.

: "Oh, _wow_," said Neville enviously, as Ron tipped Krum onto his pudgy hand.

: "We saw him right up close, as well," said Ron. "We were in the Top Box -" 

: "For the first and last time in your life, Weasley." "Nobody in that compartment invited you, Malfoy," spat James.  
**  
: Draco Malfoy had appeared in the doorway. Behind him stood Crabbe and Goyle, his enormous, thuggish cronies, both of whom appeared to have grown at least a foot during the summer.**"And I'm sure they also grown in stupidity also," said Remus.

"I don't think anything else would compute in their brains," said Sirius. "Their minds probably think that intelligence is a terrible disease."   
**   
: Evidently they had overheard the conversation through the compartment door, which Dean and Seamus had left ajar.**

: "Don't remember asking you to join us, Malfoy," said Harry coolly.

: "Weasley ... what is _that_?" said Malfoy, pointing at Pigwidgeon's cage. A sleeve of Ron's dress robes was dangling from it, swaying with the motion of the train, the mouldy lace cuff very obvious.

: "Ron made to stuff the robes out of sight, but Malfoy was too quick for him; he seized the sleeve and pulled. Sirius began to scribble some more on his parchment.  
**   
: "Look at this!" said Malfoy in ecstasy, holding up Ron's robes and showing Crabbe and Goyle. "Weasley, you weren't thinking of _wearing_ these, were you? I mean - they were very fashionable in about 1890 ..." **"Shut your mouth, Malfoy!" said James angrily.

"I bet his aren't much better," said Remus. "I mean, they're bound to be fancy in some way- he'll have to show off his wealth."

**: "Eat dung, Malfoy!" said Ron, the same colour as the dress robes as he snatched them back out of Malfoy's grip. Malfoy howled with derisive laughter; Crabbe and Goyle guffawed stupidly.**

: "So ... going to enter, Weasley? Going to try and bring a bit of glory to the family name? There's money involved as well, you know ... you'd be able to afford some decent robes if you won ..." "What on earth is he waffling on about?" said Lily, though she sounded as though she didn't care much; I mean, this _was_ Malfoy.  
**  
: "What are you talking about?" snapped Ron.**

: "_Are you going to enter?_" Malfoy repeated. "I suppose _you_ will, Potter? You never miss a chance to show off, do you?" "Hey! You either say what it is you have to say, or you leave, otherwise someone is going to get hurt!" said Sirius.

"Funny, whenever I hear that I always know it's going to be me," said James.  
**   
: "Either explain what you're on about or go away, Malfoy," said Hermione testily, over the top of _The Standard Book of Spells, Grade 4_.**

: A gleeful smile spread across Malfoy's pale face.

: "Don't tell me you don't _know_?" he said delightedly. "You've got a father and a brother at the Ministry and you don't even _know_? My God, _my_ father told me about it ages ago ... heard it from Cornelius Fudge."Yes, but your father's broken the law technically as he's told you, because it is Top Secret," said James, who'd obviously worked out what Malfoy was going on about. It seemed to have dawned on the others as well, as they were nodding in agreement.

"Yes, Ron's father and brother know how to do their jobs properly," added Remus.  
**  
: But then, Father's always associated with the top people at the Ministry ... maybe your father's too junior to know about it, Weasley ... yes ... they probably don't talk about important stuff in front of him ..."   
**  
"You father's only associated with top people at the Ministry because he's now related to my family, and he's got a lot of money to buy people off, Malfoy," said Sirius. "Trust me, if there was a popularity contest that wasn't fixed or threatening, Ron's dad would win by a landslide."   
**   
: Laughing once more, Malfoy beckoned to Crabbe and Goyle, and the three of them disappeared.**

: Ron got to his feet and slammed the sliding compartment door so hard behind them that the glass shattered."Ron, it's not worth giving him the satisfaction of him making you angry," said James. "He's only doing it because whatever it is you have to enter - he knows he's gonna be crap at it and they you lot are gonna be far better than him." **: "_Ron!_ said Hermione reproachfully, and she pulled out her wand, muttered "_Reparo!_", and the glass shards flew back into a single pane, and back into the door.**

: "Well ... making it look like he knows everything and we don't ..." Ron snarled. "_Father's always associated with the top people at the Ministry_ ... dad could've got promotion any time ... he just likes it where he is ... "

: "Of course he does," said Hermione quietly. "Don't let Malfoy get to you, Ron -" 

: "Him! Get to me! As if!" said Ron, picking up one of the remaining Cauldron Cakes and squashing it into a pulp.

: Ron's bad mood continued for the rest of the journey. He didn't talk much as they changed into their school robes, and was still glowering when the Hogwarts Express slowed down at last, and finally stopped in the pitch-darkness of Hogsmeade station.  
  
"Yes! They're there!" said James excitedly.  
**  
: As the train doors opened, there was a rumble of thunder overhead. Hermione bundled Crookshanks up in her cloak and Ron left his dress robes over Pigwidgeon as they left the train, heads bent and eyes narrowed against the downpour. The rain was now coming down so thick and fast that it was as though buckets of ice-cold water were being emptied repeatedly over their heads.  
**  
"What's the bet Peeves is having fun with the weather being like this?" said Jaames, grinning.

"I think he'll've been preparing water-bombs all day," said Sirius, also grinning.

**: "Hi, Hagrid!" Harry yelled, seeing a gigantic silhouette at the far end of the platform.**

: "All righ', Harry?" Hagrid bellowed back, waving. "See yeh at the feast if we don' drown!"

"Nice encouraging thing to shout across at someone when the new first-years are there, Hagrid," said James, shaking his head and smiling.**: First-years traditionally reached Hogwarts castle by sailing across the lake with Hagrid.**

: "Oooh, I wouldn't fancy crossing the lake in this weather," said Hermione fervently, shivering as they inched slowly along the dark platform with the rest of the crowd. A hundred horseless carriages stood waiting for them outside the station. Harry, Ron, Hermione and Neville climbed gratefully into one of them, the door shut with a snap, and a few moments later, with a great lurch, the long procession of carriages was rumbling and splashing its way up the track towards Hogwarts castle.They all looked at Remus, who had stopped reading.

"That's the end of the chapter. Who wants to read?" he said.

Lily took the book off him.


	12. Chapter 12

**Disclaimer: Not mine.**

**Beta: loonygrl90**

**: CHAPTER TWELVE**

: THE TRIWIZARD TOURNAMENTThere was a sudden hush.

"No way ..." breathed James, as though if he spoke any louder it would break the wonderful image he had in his head.

"But... the Triwizard's not been played for years and years!" said Sirius.

"Brilliant!" cheered Remus. "That must be what the secret was - they're re-starting the Triwizard Tournament!" 

Lily looked completely bewildered, but continued to read none-the-less.  
**  
: Through the gates, flanked with statues of winged boars, and up the sweeping drive the carriages trundled, swaying dangerously in what was fast becoming a gale, leaning against the window, Harry could see Hogwarts coming nearer, its many lighted windows blurred and shimmering behind the thick curtain of rain. Lightning flashed across the sky as their carriage came to a halt before the great oak front doors, which stood at the top of a flight of stone steps. people who had occupied the carriages in front were already hurrying up the stone steps into the castle; Harry, Ron, Hermione and Neville jumped down from their carriage and dashed up the steps too, looking up only when they were safely inside the cavernous, torch-lit Entrance Hall, with its magnificent marble staircase.**

: "Blimey," said Ron, shaking his head and sending water everywhere, "if that keeps up, the lake's going to overflow. I'm soak- ARGH!" 

: A large, red, water-filled balloon had dropped from out of the ceiling on top Ron's head, and exploded.They all burst out laughing.

"EXCELLENT, PEEVES!" the boys all roared.

**: Drenched and spluttering, Ron staggered sideways into Harry, just as a second water bomb dropped - narrowly missing Hermione, it burst at Harry's feet, sending a wave of cold water over his trainers and into his socks.**The boys continued to laugh, but Lily started to mutter about Peeves and how wet feet causes colds in children and only stopped when James told her to stop being a mother hen.  
**   
: People all around them shrieked and started pushing into each other in their efforts to get out of the line of fire - Harry looked up, and saw, floating twenty feet above them, Peeves the Poltergeist, a little man in a bell-covered hat and orange bow-tie, his wide, malicious face contorted with concentration as he took aim again.  
**  
"I never knew Peeves actually aimed - I thought he'd just throw them and see where they'd end up," said Lily.

"What would be the point in that?" said Sirius. "If he missed, he'd have wasted a perfectly good water bomb!"   
**  
: "PEEVES!" yelled Professor McGonagall, deputy headmistress and Head of Gryffindor house, had come dashing out of the Great Hall;   
**  
"I knew it'd be her to stop him, not that he'll listen to her much," said Sirius.  
**  
: she skidded on the wet floor and grabbed Hermione around the neck to stop herself falling. "Ouch - sorry, Miss Granger -"**

: "That's all right, Professor!" Hermione gasped, massaging her throat.

: "Peeves, get down here NOW!" barked Professor McGonagall, straightening her pointed hat and glaring upwards through her square-rimmed spectacles.

: "Not doing nothing!" cackled Peeves, lobbing a water bomb at several fifth-year girls, who screamed and dived into the Great Hall. "Already wet, aren't they? Little squirts! Wheeeeeeeeee!" And he aimed another bomb at a group of second-years who had just arrived.  
  
James and Sirius had been laughing so hard, that their faces were beetroot red. Remus was clutching his sides and wheezing.  
**  
: "I shall call the Headmaster!" shouted Professor McGonagall. "I'm warning you, Peeves -" **

: Peeves stuck out his tongue, threw the last of his water bombs into the air, and zoomed off up the marble staircase, cackling insanely."That'll please Filch," said Lily, grinning wickedly, "all that mopping to do."

**: "Well, move along, then!" said Professor McGonagall sharply to the bedraggled crowd. "Into the Great Hall, come on!" **"Woah, woah, it's not their fault Peeves was in a mood! It's no need to take it out on them!" said James.

**: Harry, Ron and Hermione slipped and slid across the Entrance Hall and through the double doors on the right, Ron muttering furiously under his breath as he pushed his sopping hair off his face.  
**  
"Poor guy," said Lily. "Hope he doesn't catch cold."   
**   
: The Great Hall looked its unusual splendid self, decorated for the start-of-term feast. Golden plates and goblets gleamed by the light of hundreds and hundreds of candles, floating over the tables in mid-air. The four house tables were packed with chattering students; at the top of the Hall, the staff sat along one side of a fifth table, facing their pupils. It was much warmer in here.**"Then Ron shall dry off in minutes," said James to Lily.  
**   
: Harry, Ron and Hermione walked past the Slytherins, **"Punch them in the face," muttered Sirius.  
**   
: the Ravenclaws and the Hufflepuffs, and sat down with the rest of the Gryffindors at the far side of the Hall, next to Nearly Headless Nick, the Gryffindor ghost. Pearly white and semi-transparent, Nick was dressed tonight in his usual doublet, with a particularly large ruff, which served the dual purpose of looking extra festive and ensuring that his head didn't wobble too much on his partially severed neck.**

: "Good evening," he said, beaming at them.

: "Says who?" said Harry, taking off his trainers and emptying them of water.  
"Hope they hurry up with the Sorting, I'm starving." "Someone's in a grump," said James, smiling, a teasing gleam in his eye.  
**   
: The Sorting of the new students into houses took place at the start of every school year, but by an unlucky combination of circumstances, Harry hadn't been present at one since his own. He was quite looking forward to it.**

: Just then, a highly excited, breathless voice called down the table, "Hiya, Harry!" 

: It was Colin Creevey, a third-year to whom Harry was something of a hero.  
  
"Oh my God!" 

"NOOOOOOOO!" 

"Jesus Christ!" 

"Does this kid every stop being annoying?" 

Other such comments were uttered in unison.

**: "Hi, Colin," said Harry warily.**

: "Harry, guess what? Guess what, Harry? My brother's starting! My brother Dennis!"

"He has a brother!" said Sirius exasperated.  
**  
: "Er - good," said Harry.**

: "He's really excited!" said Colin, practically bouncing up and down in his seat. "I just hope he's in Gryffindor! Keep your fingers crossed, eh, Harry?"   
  
"That's all he needs," said James, "two of the little gits staring at him in awe every time they see him."  
**  
: "Er - yeah, all right," said Harry. He turned back to Hermione, Ron and Nearly Headless Nick. "Brothers and sisters usually go in the same house, don't they?" he said. He was judging by the Weasleys, all seven of whom had been put into Gryffindor.**

: "Oh, no, not necessarily," said Hermione. "Parvati Patil's twin's in Ravenclaw, and they're identical, you'd think they'd be together, wouldn't you?" "That's weird," said Remus in agreement.

"Not really," replied Sirius. "My whole family's made up of Slytherins. Including my great prat of a brother ... "  
**  
: Harry looked up at the staff table. There seemed to be rather more empty seats there than usual. Hagrid, of course, was still fighting his way across the lake with the first-years; Professor McGonagall was presumably supervising the drying of the Entrance Hall floor, but there was another empty chair, too, and he couldn't think who else was missing.**

: "Where's the new Defence Against the Dark Arts teacher?" said Hermione, who was also looking up at the teachers."You were the best one, Remus, no doubt about it," said Sirius.  
**  
: They had never yet had a Defence Against the Dark Arts teacher who had lasted more than three terms. Harry's favourite by far had been Professor Lupin, who had resigned last year.  
**  
Remus beamed to the book.  
**  
: He looked up and down the staff table. There was definitely no new face there.**

: "Maybe they couldn't get anyone!" said Hermione, looking anxious.

"Just as long as Snape doesn't teach them in their stead," said James.  
**   
: Harry scanned the table more carefully. Tiny little Professor Flitwick, the Charms teacher, was sitting on a large pile of cushions beside Professor Sprout, the Herbology teacher, whose hat was askew over her flyaway grey hear. She was talking to Professor Sinistra of the Astronomy department. On Professor Sinistra's other side was the sallow-faced, hook-nosed, greasy-haired Potions master,   
**  
"Ugly git," said Sirius.

They snorted into their hands.**: Snape - Harry's least favourite person at Hogwarts. Harry's loathing of Snape was matched only by Snape's hatred of him, a hatred which had, if possible, intensified last year, when Harry had helped Sirius escape right under Snape's overlarge nose - Snape and Sirius had been enemies since their own schooldays.**"Which is really quite childish, you know," said Lily. "Though I can understand why you don't like him. I don't think many people like him."

**: On Snape's other side was an empty seat, which Harry guessed was Professor McGonagall's.  
**  
"Which is near enough for me," said James.

"Me too," agreed Sirius.

They all shuddered.**: Next to it, and in the very centre of the table, sat Professor Dumbledore, the Headmaster, his sweeping silver hair and beard shining in the candlelight, his magnificent deep-green robes embroidered with many stars and moons.**"So he doesn't look like a wizard at all, does he?" said James, winking sarcastically.  
**   
: The tips of Dumbledore's long, thin fingers were together and he was resting his chin upon them, staring up at the ceiling through hid half-moon spectacles as though lost in thought. Harry glanced up at the ceiling, too. It was enchanted to look like the sky outside, and he had never seen it look this stormy. Black and purple clouds were swirling across it, and as another thunderclap sounded outside, a fork of lightening flashed across it.  
**  
"Sounds nasty," said Remus.**: "Oh, hurry up," Ron moaned, beside Harry. "I could eat a Hippogriff." **

: The words were no sooner out of his mouth than the doors of the Great Hall opened, and silence fell. Professor McGonagall was leading a long line of first-years up to the top of the Hall. If Harry, on and Hermione were wet, it was nothing to how these first-years looked. They appeared to have swum across the lake rather than sailing. All of them were shivering with a combination of cold and nerves as they filed along the staff table and came to a halt in a line facing the rest of the school - all of them except the smallest of the lot, a boy with mousy hair, who was wrapped in what Harry recognised as Hagrid's moleskin overcoat."The kid must've fell in the lake!" said Sirius, fighting the urge not to laugh.  
**   
: The coat was so big for him that it looked as though he was draped in a furry black marquee. His small face protruded from over the collar, looking almost painfully excited. When he had lined up with his terrified-looking peers, he caught Colin Creevey's eyes, gave a double thumbs-up and mouthed, "I fell in the lake!" He looked positively delighted about it.**"You should be, not even Sirius has managed to fall in the lake!" said Remus.

Sirius stuck his tongue out at him.  
**   
: Professor McGonagall now placed a three-legged stool on the ground before the first-years and, on top of it, an extremely old, dirty, patched wizard's hat. The first-years stared at it. So did everyone else. For a moment, there was silence. Then a tear near the brim opened wide like a mouth, and the hat broke into song: **"Excellent!" said James.

"I wonder what the message will be this year?" said Lily.

**: _"A thousand years or more ago,_   
: _When I was newly sewn,_   
: _There lived four wizards of renown,_   
: _Whose names are still well known:_   
: _Bold Gryffindor, from wild moor, _   
: _Fair Ravenclaw, from glen,_   
: _Sweet Hufflepuff, from valley broad,_   
: _Shrewd Slytherin, from fen._  
: _They shared a wish, a hope, a dream,_   
: _They hatched a daring plan_  
: _To educate young sorcerers_  
: _Thus Hogwarts School began._**"WOO HOO!" cheered James and Sirius."You're ruining the song!" huffed Lily.

"Idiots," muttered Remus.**: _Now each of these four founders_  
: _Formed their own house, for each_  
: _Did value different virtues_  
: _In the ones they had to teach._  
: _By Gryffindor, the bravest were_  
: _Prized far beyond the rest;_   
**  
James and Sirius cheered loudly, but were cut short by Remus throwing things at them.**: _For Ravenclaw, the cleverest_  
: _Would always be the best_  
: _For Hufflepuff, hard workers were_  
: _Most worthy of admission;_   
: _And power-hungry Slytherin_  
: _Loved those of great ambition._**"BOO!" jeered Sirius and James.  
**   
: _While still alive they did divide_  
: _Their favourites from the throng,_   
: _Yet how to pick the worthy ones_  
: _When they were dead and gone?_   
: _'Twas Gryffindor who found the way,_   
: _He whipped me off his head_  
: _The founders put some brains in me_  
: _So I could choose instead!_   
: _Now slip me snug about your ears,_   
: _I've never yet been wrong,_   
: _I'll have a look inside your mind_  
: _And tell where you belong!"_ **  
**   
: The Great Hall rang with applause as the Sorting Hat finished.**Everyone in James' room were applauding as well, as though they were there in the audience with them.**: "That's not the song it sang to when it sorted us," said Harry, clapping along with everyone else.**"Of course it isn't," said James, as though Harry was stupid. "It changes every year!" **: "Sings a different one every year," said Ron. "It's got to be a pretty boring life, hasn't it, being a hat? **"Well, I wouldn't swap," said Sirius.

"Not even for a feast?" asked Remus.

"Well, I might for a feast ... if I was hungry enough." **: I suppose it spends all year making up the next one." **

: Professor McGonagall was now unrolling a large scroll of parchment.

: "When I call out your name, you will put on the Hat and sit on the stool," she told the first-years. "When the Hat announces your house, you will go and sit at the appropriate table.While Remus was reading this passage out, Sirius screwed up his face and mimicked Professor McGonagall's speech. James was clutching his sides, wheezing with laughter.

**: "Ackerley, Stewart!" **

: A boy walked forward, visibly trembling from head to foot, picked up the Sorting Hat, put it on and sat down on the stool.

: _"Ravenclaw!_" shouted the Hat.

: Stewart Ackerley took off the Hat and hurried into a seat at the Ravenclaw table, where everyone was applauding him. Harry caught a glimpse of Cho, the Ravenclaw Seeker, cheering Steward Ackerley as he sat down. For a fleeting second, Harry had a strange desire to join the Ravenclaw table too."Awww ... Harry likes her," said Lily, giggling.

"Poor guy," said James solemnly, "he's doomed to the power of a woman ... such a shame ... so young ..." 

The men bowed their heads in respect.

**: "Baddock, Malcolm!" **

: "_Slytherin!_" "BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO" **: The table on the other side of the Hall erupted with cheers; Harry could see Malfoy clapping as Baddock joined the Slytherins. Harry wondered whether Baddock knew that Slytherin house had turned out more Dark witches and wizards than any other.  
**  
"Probably, I mean, if he's a wizard, he'll probably know," said Sirius.**: Fred and George hissed Malcolm Baddock as he sat down.**Sirius cheered Fred and George for their efforts.**: "Branstone, Eleanor!" : _"Hufflepuff!"_ **

: "Cauldwell, Owen!" 

: _"Hufflepuff!"_

: "Creevey, Dennis!" 

: Tiny Dennis Creevey staggered forwards, tripping over Hagrid's moleskin, just as Hagrid himself sidled into the Hall through a door behind the teachers' table. About twice as tall as a normal man, and at least three times as broad, Hagrid, with his long, wild, tangled black hair and beard, looked slightly alarming - a misleading impression, for Harry, Ron and Hermione knew Hagrid to possess a very kind nature."Indeed, he's as soft as sh- " began Sirius, but James threw a book at him, for he didn't want such an uncouth thing to be said about someone as nice as Hagrid.**: He winked at them as he sat down at the end of the staff table, and watched Dennis Creevey putting on the Sorting Hat. The rip at the brim opened wide - **

: "_Gryffindor!_" the Hat shouted.  
  
"WOO HOO!" they all cheered.  
**   
: Hagrid clapped along with the Gryffindors, as Dennis Creevey, beaming widely, took off the Hat, placed it back on the stool, and hurried over to join his brother.  
**  
"Now Harry has the two of them to avoid," said James miserably.**: "Colin, I fell in!" he said shrilly, throwing himself into an empty seat. "It was brilliant! And something in the water grabbed me and pushed me back in the boat!" **"Cool," said Sirius, sounding quite impressed.  
**   
: "Cool!" said Colin, just as excitedly. "It was probably the giant squid, Dennis!" **

: "_Wow!_" said Dennis, as though nobody in their wildest dreams could hope for more then being thrown into a storm-tossed, fathoms-deep lake, and pushed out of it again by a giant sea-monster.They chuckled.**: "Dennis! Dennis! See that boy down there? The one with the black hair and glasses? **"Oh for God's sake, it's only the first day back, can't you leave all the worshipping until after the Sorting!" said James in exasperation.

"Harry can't help it," said Sirius lazily. "He takes after his godfather! Everyone is in awe of me, as well. They can't wait to shower me with worship." 

"Well, I can wait, so not quite everyone, Sirius," said Remus.

"No you can't, Remus - you obviously want to be me ... I mean, who wouldn't want to be?" 

Remus smiled, "You're such a loser!" 

"Even if I were a loser, Remus, you'd still want to be me." **: See him? _Know who he is, Dennis?_" **

: Harry looked away, staring very hard at the Sorting Hat, now sorting Emma Dobbs.

: The Sorting continued; boys and girls with varying degrees of fright on their faces moving, one by one, to the three-legged stool, the line dwindling slowly as Professor McGonagall passed the "L"s. 

: "Oh, hurry up," Ron moaned, massaging his stomach.

: "Now, Ron, the Sorting's much more important than food," said Nearly Headless Nick, as "Madley, Laura!" became a Hufflepuff."Well, it is to him as he can't have food!" said Sirius.**: "'Course it is, if you're dead," snapped Ron.**

: "I do hope this year's batch of Gryffindors are up to scratch," said Nearly Headless Nick, applauding as "McDonald, Natalie!" joined the Gryffindor table.They all cheered and clapped.  
**   
: "We don't want to break our winning streak, do we?" **

: Gryffindor had won the Inter-House Championship for the last three years in a row."WOO HOO!" they all shouted.**: "Pritchard, Graham!" **

: "_Slytherin!_" "BOOOO!" **: "Quirle, Orla!" **

: "_Ravenclaw!_

: And finally, with "Whitby, Kevin! ("_Hufflepuff!_") the Sorting ended. Professor picked up the Hat and and stool, and carried them away.

: "About time," said Ron, seizing his knife and fork and looking expectantly at his golden plate.They all chuckled at Ron's eagerness. James looked at Sirius.**: Professor Dumbledore had got to his feet. He was smiling around at the students, his arms opened wide in welcome.**

: "I have only two words to say to you," he told them, his deep voice echoing around the Hall. "_Tuck in_."   
  
"Excellent!" said Sirius.

"That'll please Ron," said James, laughing.

**: "Hear, hear!" said Harry and Ron loudly, as the empty dishes filled magically before their eyes.**

: Nearly Headless Nick watched mournfully as Harry, Ron and Hermione loaded their plates.  
  
"But he's a ghost ... he may as well get used to it," said Sirius.

"Oh right, and I bet you'd think like that if you were a ghost," said Remus.

"I would never become a ghost, I wouldn't see the point of being one, you can't do anything except annoy people when you go through them, but that would lose it's fun," said Sirius.**: "Aaah, 'at's be'er," said Ron, with his mouth full of mashed potato.**

They all laughed.  
**   
: "You're lucky there's a feast at all tonight, you know," said Nearly Headless Nick. "There was trouble in the kitchens earlier." **"Peeves, no doubt," muttered James.**: "Why? What' 'appened?" said Harry, through a sizeable chunk of steak.**"Harry Potter, it's rude to talk with your mouth full!" said Lily in a bossy sort of voice.

James looked at her as though he didn't understand her at all.**: "Peeves, of course," said Nearly Headless Nick, shaking his head, which wobbled dangerously. He pulled his ruff a little higher up his neck. "The usual argument, you know. He wanted to attend the feast - well, it's quite out of the question, you know what he's like, utterly uncivilised, **"Which means there'd be a food fight in seconds," said Sirius grinning.

"With you there that happens anyway," said Remus.

"That was only that one time!" stormed Sirius angrily.

James laughed.  
**   
: can't see a plate of food without throwing it. We held a ghosts' council - the Fat Friar was all for giving him a chance - but most wisely, in my opinion, the Bloody Baron put his foot down." **"Quite right, too," said Remus.

"Though, it would be funny, just for the look on Snape's face when Peeves put a treacle tart over his head," said Lily, a smile on her face.

James looked at her in awe.  
**   
: The Bloody Baron was the Slytherin ghost, a gaunt and silent spectre covered in silver bloodstains. He was the only person at Hogwarts who could control Peeves.**

: "Yeah, we thought Peeves seemed hacked off about something," said Ron darkly. "So what did he do in the kitchens?" 

: "Oh, the usual," said Nearly Headless Nick, shrugging. "Wreaked havoc and mayhem. Pots and pans everywhere. Place swimming in soup. Terrified the house-elves out of their wits -" "That comment'll please Hermione," said James.

"What, d'you not think she knows about house-elves being at Hogwarts?" said Sirius in amazement.

"I don't think so," said James. "They've never mentioned seeing one, apart from Dobby, but he'll not be there now, I think."   
**   
: _Clang._ Hermione had knocked over her golden goblet. Pumpkin juice spread steadily over the tablecloth, staining several feet of white linen orange, but Hermione paid no attention.**"Really ... but that's more work for the house-elves," said Sirius, in mock surprise.**: "There are house-elves _here_?" she said, staring, horror-struck at Nearly Headless Nick. "Here at _Hogwarts_?" **"Of course there are, I mean, how do you think so much is cooked and that your clothes and beds are kept clean?" said James in surprise that she'd not guessed such a thing.

**: "Certainly," said Nearly Headless Nick, looking surprised at her reaction. "The largest number in any dwelling in Britain, I believe. Over a hundred." **

: "I've never seen one!" said Hermione.

: "Well, they hardly ever leave the kitchen by day, do they? said Nearly Headless Nick.  
  
"It's great going to the kitchens," said Sirius, a dreamy expression coming over his face. "The amount of food they give you ... Mmmmmmmmm ..." **: "They come out at night to do a bit of cleaning ... see to the fires and so on ... I mean, you're not supposed to see them, are you? That's the mark of a good house-elf, isn't it, that you don't know it's there?" **

: Hermione stared at him.James put his fingers in his ears, as though expecting Hermione to blast off, even though he couldn't hear her if she did.**: "But they get _paid_?" she said. "They get _holidays_, don't they? And - and sick leave, and pensions and everything?" **

: "Nearly Headless Nick chortled so much that his ruff slipped and his head flopped off, dangling on the inch or so of ghostly skin and muscle that still attached it to his neck.

: "Sick leaves and pensions?" he said, pushing his head back onto his shoulders and securing it once more with his ruff. "House-elves don't want sick leave and pensions!" "How do you know? Have you asked them recently?" said Remus, raising his eyebrows.**: Hermione looked down at her hardly touched plate of food, then put her knife and fork down upon it and pushed it away from her.**"Talk about stubbornness," said James, in exasperation.

"She's crazy - I'm glad they can make food that well!" said Sirius proudly.**: "Oh, c'mon 'Er-my-knee," said Ron, accidentally spraying Harry with bits of Yorkshire pudding.**"Urgh," they all said.**: "Oops - sorry, 'Arry -" He swallowed. "You won't get them sick leave by starving yourself!"**"That's actually quite a good idea," said Remus. "It would make a point and get the attention of the papers!"

But Sirius and James were very much against this plan all together.

"Yeah, and how much weight would you lose?" said James. "I mean, you're already dead skinny from being ill all the time, you don't want to starve yourself as well!" 

"Yeah, you'd become really ill in weeks! You don't want that - and we won't let you do that to yourself!" said Sirius.

"All right, all right, it was just an idea ... I don't think anyone would go through with such a thing with the meals they serve at Hogwarts, anyway!" said Remus, grinning.  
**  
: "Slave labour," said Hermione, breathing hard through her nose. "That's what made this dinner. _Slave labour_." **"She's mad," said James weakly.**: And she refused to eat another bite.**"I repeat," said Sirius, "she's mad." **: The rain was still drumming heavily against the high, dark windows. Another clap of thunder shook the windows, and the stormy ceiling flashed, illuminating the golden plates as the remains of the first course vanished and were replaced, instantly with puddings.**

: "Treacle tart, Hermione!" said Ron, deliberately wafting its smell towards her. "Spotted dick, look! Chocolate gateau!" "I'll have it!" moaned Sirius enviously to the book.

**: But Hermione gave him a look so reminiscent of Professor McGonagall that he gave up.**The boys all shivered.

"It's actually quite scary that she can also produce such a look," said James. "It means that Harry'll never get away from it!"

**: When the puddings, too, had been demolished, and the last crumbs had faded off the plates, leaving them sparkling clean, Albus Dumbledore got to his feet again. The buzz of chatter filling the Hall ceased almost at once, so that only the howling wind and pounding rain could be heard.**

: "So!" said Dumbledore, smiling around at them all. "Now that we are all fed and watered" ("Hmph!" said Hermione), "I must once more ask for your attention, while I give out a few notices.

: "Mr Filch, the caretaker, has asked me to tell you that the list of objects forbidden inside the castle has this year been extended to include Screaming Yo-yos, Fanged Frisbees and Ever-Bashing Boomerangs. The full list comprises some four hundred and thirty-seven items, I believe, and can be viewed in Mr Filch's office, in anybody would like to check it." 

: The corners of Dumbledore's mouth twitched."Filch has no sense of fun," said James, in a hard-done by voice.**: He continued, "As ever, I would like to remind you all that the Forest in the grounds is out-of-bounds to students, as is the village of Hogsmeade to all below third year.**

: "It is also my painful duty to inform you that the inter-house Quidditch Cup will not take place this year."   
  
"WHAT!" shouted James, springing up in a towering and surprised rage and pacing round his room, muttering furiously.

"They can't ban Quidditch! What would be the point of going to school?" said Sirius.

Remus tutted, then nodded his head in agreement.  
**   
: "_What_?" Harry gasped.**"Exactly! Exactly, WHAT! Why would anyone as cool as Dumbledore do such a thing!" stormed James.

"But what if it's simply because the Triwizard Tournament is being _hosted_ at Hogwarts," said Remus, his eyes sparkling excitedly. "I mean, how cool would it be to be at Hogwarts when the Triwizard competition came back! It'll be a moment in history!" **: He looked round at Fred and George, his fellow members of the Quidditch team. They were mouthing soundlessly at Dumbledore, apparently too appalled to speak.**

: Dumbledore continued, "This is due to an event that will be starting in October, and continuing throughout the school year, taking up much of the teachers' time and energy - but I am sure you will enjoy it immensely. I have great pleasure in announcing that this year at Hogwarts -" "What?" said James, who seemed to have calmed down, at last.

"Obviously he was interrupted," said Sirius.

"I suppose the Triwizard tournament would be far better than Quidditch ... though, in the long term, Quidditch is, by miles, better," he finished flatly.

**: But at that moment, there was a deafening rumble of thunder. and the doors of the Great Hall banged open.**

: A man stood in the doorway, leaning upon a long staff, shrouded in a black travelling cloak. Every head in the Great Hall swivelled towards the stranger, suddenly brightly illuminated by a fork of lightning that flashed across the ceiling. He lowered his hood, shook out a long mane of grizzled, dark grey hair, then began to walk up towards the teachers' table.

: A dull _clunk_ echoed through the Hall on his every other step. He reached the end of the top table, turned right and limped heavily towards Dumbledore. Another flash of lightning crossed the ceiling. Hermione gasped.  
  
"What? Is he a house-elf or something?" said Sirius.**:The lightning had thrown the man's face into sharp relief, and it was a face unlike any Harry had ever seen. It looked as though it had been carved out of weathered wood by someone who had only the vaguest idea of what human faces were supposed to look like, and was none too skilled with a chisel.  
**  
"In other words," said James lazily, stretching, "he's not a good-looking chap like me."

"You mean like me," said Sirius.

"No, I was perfectly correct in my first statement and the reference being towards myself," said James confidently.

Remus rolled his eyes.

"Obviously you weren't since _I_ am clearly the best looking person in this room, and subsequently, in the whole of the country," said Sirius.

"What? As compared to a dung-heap?" said James.

"James, I know you're not as good-looking as me, but you certainly look nothing like a dung-heap. I wish you would stop putting yourself down like that!"

"I am perfectly aware that I look nothing like a dung-heap, as you have stated that you look better than a dung-heap, and I look a lot better than you!"

"Look, will you both just shut up! You're getting on everyone's nerves!" stormed Remus.

There was a pause. Then Remus added slyly, "Besides, I'm better looking then both of you anyways, so argument over!" **: Every inch of skin seemed to be scarred. The mouth looked like a diagonal gash, and a large chunk of his nose was missing. But it was the man's eyes that made him frightening.**

: One of them was small, dark and beady. The other was large, round as a coin, and a vivid, electric blue. The blue eye was moving carelessly, without blinking, and was rolling up, down and from side to side, quite independently of the normal eye - and then it rolled right over, pointing into the back of the man's head, so that all they could see was whiteness."Urgh," they all said.

"Imagine if he was one of the teachers! He'd scare all the kids away instantly!" said Lily.

**: The stranger reached Dumbledore. He stretched out a hand that was as badly scarred as his face, and Dumbledore shook it, muttering words Harry couldn't hear. He seemed to be making some enquiry of the stranger, who shook his head unsmilingly and replied in an undertone. Dumbledore nodded, and gestured the man to the empty seat on his right-hand side.**"He must be a teacher," said Remus. "He must be the new Defence teacher."

"He'll never be as good as what you were," said Sirius at once.**: The stranger sat down, shook his mane of dark grey hair out of his face, pulled a plate of sausages towards him, raised it to what was left of his nose and sniffed it. He then took a small knife out of his pocket, speared a sausage on the end of it, and began to eat. His normal eye was fixed upon the sausages, but the blue eye was still darting restlessly around in its socket, taking in the Hall and the students.**They all shivered.  
**   
: "May I introduce our new Defence Against the Dark Arts teacher," said Dumbledore brightly, into the silence. "Professor Moody." **James looked up, "Moody? That same guy they were waffling on about who cursed his dustbins?"

"Must be, I doubt there's be many nutters with the name Moody," said Sirius. "And this guy certainly looks like he could be a paranoid nutter."

**: It was usual for new staff members to be greeted with applause, but none of the staff or students clapped except Dumbledore and Hagrid. Both put their hands together and applauded, but the sound echoed dismally into the silence, and they stopped fairly quickly. Everyone seemed too transfixed by Moody's bizarre appearance to do more than stare at him.**"Woah, he must really look that bad," said James, raising his eyebrows at everyone else in the room.

**: "Moody?" Harry muttered to Ron. "_Mad-Eye Moody?_ The one your dad went to help this morning?"**

: "Must be," said Ron, in a low, awed voice."Cool," they all chorused.

"Woah, my son is getting taught off an ex-Auror," said James excitedly. "Imagine what he can teach them!" **: "What happened to him," Hermione whispered. "What happened to his _face_?"**

: "Dunno," Ron whispered back, watching Moody with fascination.

: Moody seemed totally indifferent to his less-than-warm welcome.  
  
"Well, I mean to say, that it's not exactly me standing up there, is it," said Sirius.

Remus blinked and then said, "Well, no, Sirius, we're aware that it's Moody up there, not you."

"What I mean is, if it _were_ me up there, the students would be applauding for ages, and shouting at me to bow down at their feet!"

"I doubt it, Sirius," said Remus.

"I thought someone as jealous as you would," said Sirius lazily.

Remus sighed and shook his head.

James smiled at the pair of them.

**: Ignoring the jug of pumpkin juice in front of him, he reached again into his travelling cloak, pulled out a hip-flask, and took a long draught from it. As he lifted his arm to drink, his cloak was pulled a few inches from the ground, and Harry saw, below the table, several inches of carved wooden leg, ending in a clawed foot.**"Cool," the boys all said in awe.

Lily, however was rather disturbed by such a revelation. "I hope Harry never becomes an Auror, not if they all end up looking like that!"   
**   
: Dumbledore cleared his throat again.**

: "As I was saying," he said, smiling at the sea of students before him, all of whom were still gazing transfixed at Mad-Eye Moody, "we are to have the honour of hosting a very exciting event over the coming months, an event which has not been held for over a century. It is my great pleasure to inform you that the Triwizard Tournament will be taking place at Hogwarts this year."   
  
They all looked at the book, half excited, half jealous.

"Wow! Imagine ... imagine if my boy managed to beat the entire school!" said James.

"I want him to win as much as you do, but it'll be really dangerous! Harry may not know enough to defend himself!" said Lily anxiously.

"He's managed to beat Voldemort twice and go against the Ministry to help Sirius - I think a small tournament will be a piece of cake for him!" said James proudly.

"Yes, but that's no reason to get big-headed!"

**: "You're JOKING!" said Fred Weasley loudly.**

The tension that had filled the Hall since Moody's arrival suddenly broke....As did the atmosphere in the room as everyone burst out laughing.**: Nearly everyone laughed, and Dumbledore chuckled appreciatively.**

: "I am _not_ joking, Mr Weasley," he said, "though, now you mention it, I did hear an excellent one over the summer about a troll, a hag and a leprechaun who all go into a bar -"

"Dumbledore is so cool," said Remus. "Telling jokes at the feast!" **: Professor McGonagall cleared her throat loudly.**"Hmph! Trust McGonagall to be a kill-joy!" huffed Sirius.**: "Er - but maybe this is not the time ... no ..." said Dumbledore. "Where was I? Ah yes, the Triwizard Tournament ... well, some of you will know what this Tournament involves, so I hope those of you who _do_ know will forgive me for giving a short explanation, and allow their attention to wander freely.**

: "The Triwizard Tournament was first established some seven hundred years ago, as a friendly competition between the tree largest European schools of wizardry - Hogwarts, Beauxbatons and Durmstrang. A champion was selected to represent each school, and the three champions competed in three magical tasks. The schools took it in turns to host the Tournament once every five years, and it was generally agreed to be the most excellent way of establishing ties between young witches and wizards of different nationalities - until, that it, the death toll mounted so high that the Tournament was discontinued.""Death toll?" said Lily anxiously. "People died in these Tournaments?"

"Of course they did ... the tasks were supposed to be really cool," said Sirius.

"That means really dangerous to anyone else," said Remus.**: "_Death toll_?" Hermione whispered, looking alarmed. But her anxiety did not seem to be shared by the majority of students in the Hall; many of them were whispering excitedly with each other, and Harry himself was far more interested in hearing more about the Tournament than in worrying about deaths that had happened hundreds of years ago.  
**  
"Excellent, son," said James proudly. "Nice to see your priorities are in the right way!"

"But, what if they're just as dangerous again?" said Lily.

"I doubt that Dumbledore would even allow it to take place if his students were risking their lives. I'm sure that he considers human life a very precious thing, and would never allow any child under his care to put that in jeopardy," said James gently.

"He'll have probably changed certain rules and made the tasks slightly easier or not as dangerous or something, to make them seem just as dangerous, yet not so at the same time," said Remus.

**: "There have been several attempts over the centuries to reinstate the Tournament," Dumbledore continued, "none of which have been very successful. However, our own Department of International Magical Co-operation and Magical Games and Sports have decided the time is ripe for another attempt. We have worked hard over the summer to ensure that, this time, no champion will find himself or herself in mortal danger.  
**  
"Oh good," said Lily, while James and Remus gave her "I told you so" looks.**: "The Heads of Beauxbatons and Durmstrang will be arriving with their short-listed contenders in October, and the selection of the three champions will take place at Hallowe'en. An impartial judge will decide which students are most worthy to compete for the Triwizard Cup, the glory of their school, and a thousand Galleons personal prize money." **"Why do I think that there is going to be a major catch to this?" said James, sceptically.

"Because you're maturing, at last," said Lily, though she smiled mischievously when she said so.

James looked at her, and grinned back.**: "I'm going for it!" Fred Weasley hissed down the table, his face lit with enthusiasm at the prospect of such glory and riches.**"Anyone would go for it," said Sirius.  
**   
: He was not the only person who seemed to be visualising themselves as Hogwarts champion. At every house table, Harry could see people either gazing raptly at Dumbledore, or else whispering fervently to their neighbours. But then Dumbledore spoke again, and the Hall quieted once more.**

: "Eager though I know all of you will be to bring the Triwizard Cup to Hogwarts," he said, "the Heads of the participating schools, along with the Ministry of Magic, have agreed to impose an age restriction on contenders this year.   
  
"In other words, neither Harry, Ron nor Hermione will be able to go for it," said Sirius dully.

"Yeah, but they'll be able to be there and see it, though!" said James in awe. "I wish I could be there!"   
**   
: Only students who are of age - that is to say, seventeen years or older - will be allowed to put forward their names for consideration. This" - Dumbledore raised his voice slightly, for several people had made noises of outrage at these words, and the Weasley twins were suddenly looking furious - **"I bet they do," said Sirius.

"But they're in sixth year," said James, puzzled, "surely they'll be seventeen?" 

"Unless they turn seventeen after October," said Remus.  
**   
: "is a measure we feel is necessary, given that the Tournament tasks will still be difficult and dangerous, whatever precautions we take, and it is highly unlikely that students below sixth and seventh year will be able to cope with them. I will personally be ensuring that no underage student hoodwinks our impartial judge into making them Hogwarts champion." His light-blue eyes twinkled as they flickered over Fred and George's mutinous faces.  
**  
"As he must know that they're gonna try no matter what he says," said Remus, smiling, and looking at Sirius and James.  
**   
: "I therefore beg you not to waste your time submitting yourself if you are under seventeen.**"Not that everyone in there will listen to that," said James.

"Well, you two wouldn't," said Lily.

"This is worrying, James," said Sirius. "She's getting to know you ... it's not good for pranking!"

**: "The delegations from Beauxbatons and Durmstrang will be arriving in October, and remaining with us for the greater part of this year. I know that you will all extend every courtesy to our foreign guests while they are with us, and will give your whole-hearted support to the Hogwarts champion when he or she is selected. And now, it is late, and I know how important it is to you all to be alert and rested as you enter your lessons tomorrow morning.**"Yeah, right, like everyone's gonna go straight to sleep after what you've just told them," muttered Sirius sarcastically.**: Bedtime! Chop chop!"**

: Dumbledore sat down again and turned to talk to Mad-Eye Moody. There was a great scraping and banging as all the students got to their feet, and swarmed towards the double doors into the Entrance Hall.

: "They can't do that!" said George Weasley, who had not joined the crowd moving towards the door, but was standing up and glaring at Dumbledore. "We're seventeen in April, why can't we have a shot?" 

: "They're not stopping me entering," said Fred stubbornly, also scowling at the top table. "The champions'll get to do all sorts of stuff you'd never be allowed to do normally. And a thousand Galleons prize money!" 

: "Yeah," said Ron, a faraway look on his face. "Yeah, a thousand Galleons ..."   
  
"Money isn't everything, you know, Ron," said James sadly. "I'd bet Harry would give up all his gold and more to have the family you have." **: "Come on," said Hermione, "we'll be the only ones left here if you don't move." **

: Harry, Ron, Hermione, Fred and George set off for the Entrance Hall, Fred and George debating the ways in which Dumbledore might stop those who were under seventeen entering the Tournament.

: "Who's the impartial judge who's going to decide who the champions are?" said Harry.  
  
"I like the way Harry's mind is going," said Sirius, a grin spreading across his face.**: "Dunno," said Fred, "but it's them we'll have to fool. I reckon a couple of drops of Ageing Potion might do it, George ..." **"I doubt that it will be that easy," said James, frowning.**: "Dumbledore knows you're not of age, though," said Ron.**

: "Yeah, but he's not the one who decides who the champion is, is he?" said Fred shrewdly. "Sounds to me like once this judge knows who wants to enter, he'll choose the best from each school and never mind how old they are. Dumbledore's trying to stop us giving our names." "They'll never be able to fool Dumbledore," said Remus flatly.

"True, but they won't be told that, will they?" said James.**: "People have died, though!" said Hermione in a worried voice, as they walked through a door concealed behind a tapestry and started up another, narrower staircase.**

: "Yeah," said Fred airily, "but that was years ago, wasn't it? Anyway, where's the fun without a bit of risk? "My sentiments exactly!" said Sirius, as though this explained a lot to Remus and James.

They both shook their heads.

**: Hey, Ron, what if we find out how to get round Dumbledore? Fancy entering?" **

: "What d'you reckon?" Ron asked Harry. "Be cool to enter, wouldn't it? But I s'pose they might want someone older ... dunno if we've learnt enough ..."   
  
"At least Ron's head is screwed on," said Lily.

"Oh yeah, because he wouldn't try for it if Fred and George found a way that would certainly get through Dumbledore," said Sirius sarcastically.**: "I definitely haven't," came Neville's gloomy voice from behind Fred and George. "I expect my gran'd want me to try, though, she's always going on about how I should be upholding the family honour.  
**  
"Aww ... poor guy," said Lily. "Gran's put all this pressure on him."   
**   
: I'll just have to - oops ..."**

: Neville's foot had sunk right through a step halfway up the staircase. There were many of these trick stairs at Hogwarts; it was second nature to most of the older students to jump this particular step, but Neville's memory was notoriously poor. Harry and Ron seized him under the armpits and pulled him out, while a suit of armour at the top of the stairs creaked and clanked, laughing weezily.

: "Shut it, you," said Ron, banging down its visor as they passed.They all chuckled.**: They made their way up to the entrance to Gryffindor Tower, which was concealed behind a large portrait of a fat lady in a pink silk dress.**

: "Password?" she said, as they approached.

: "Balderdash," said George, "a Prefect downstairs told me."

: The portrait swung forward to reveal a hole in the wall, through which they all climbed. A crackling fire was warming the circular common room, which was full squashy armchairs and tables. Hermione cast the merrily dancing flames a dark look, and Harry distinctly heard her mutter "_slave labour_", before bidding them goodnight, and disappearing through the doorway to the girls' dormitories."She's gonna become obsessed about this," said James, shaking his head.  
**   
: Harry, Ron and Neville climbed up the last, spiral staircase until they reached their own dormitory, which was situated at the top of the Tower. Five four-poster beds with deep crimson hangings stood against the walls, each with its owner's trunk at the foot. Dean and Seamus were already getting into bed; Seamus had pinned his Ireland rosette to his headboard, and Dean had tacked up a poster of Viktor Krum over his bedside table. His old poster of West Ham football team was pinned right next to it.  
**  
James looked at the book incredulously, with a look that he couldn't believe that someone could put a football poster in league with a Quidditch one.**: "Mental," Ron sighed, shaking his head at the completely stationary soccer players.**

: Harry, Ron and Neville got into their pyjamas and into bed. Someone - a house-elf, no doubt - had placed warming pans between the sheets. It was extremely comfortable, lying there in bed and listening to the storm raging outside.

: "I might go in for it, you know,"," Ron said sleepily through the darkness, "if Fred and George find out how to ... the Tournament ... you never know, do you?" 

Sirius looked at a stony faced Lily with a smug look on his face.**: "S'pose not ..." Harry rolled over in bed, a series of dazzling new pictures forming in his mind's eye ... He had hoodwinked the impartial judge into believing he was seventeen ... He had become Hogwarts champion ... He was standing in the grounds, his arms raised in triumph in front of the whole school, all of whom were applauding and screaming ... he had just won the Triwizard Tournament ... Cho's face stood out particularly clearly in the blurred crowd, her face glowing with admiration ... **Lily started giggling.

James looked at her in disgust ... mocking her own son when he was doomed to be forever a slave to the confusing and teasing ways of a woman ...

He caught Sirius and Remus' eyes and they all bowed their head in a mark of respect.**: Harry grinned into his pillow, exceptionally glad that Ron couldn't see what he could.**Lily giggled again, "That's the end of the chapter," she gasped finally.

James snatched the boom off her and sat down.

"What?" she said.

"He's just having a fantasy ... it's not as if you've never had any!" he said angrily, though he could not explain why he was so angry.

"Of course I have, but, you have to admit, it's funny hearing someone else's."

"Yeah, it is, really, though it'd be embarrassing if he ever found out we know of them ... so we must never mention this," said Sirius, though a wicked grin appeared through his serious look.


	13. Chapter 13

**Disclaimer" Still ain't mine.**

**Beta: loonygrl90**

**: CHAPTER THIRTEEN**

: MAD-EYE MOODY: The storm had blown itself out by the following morning, though the ceiling in the Great Hall was still gloomy; heavy clouds of pewter grey swirled overhead as Harry, Ron and Hermione examined their new timetables at breakfast. A few seats along, Fred, George and Lee Jordan were discussing magical methods of ageing themselves and bluffing their way into the Triwizard Tournament.

: "Today's not bad ... outside all morning," said Ron, who was running his finger down the Monday column of his timetable, "Herbology with the Hufflepuffs and Care of Magical Creatures ... damn it, we're still with the Slytherins ..." "Imagine Malfoy getting - er - _accidentally_ clawed again," said Sirius. "It would certainly prove that he was utterly careless." **: "Double Divination this afternoon," Harry groaned, looking down. Divination was his least favourite subject, apart from Potions.  
**  
"Well, no one likes Potions purely because no one likes dear Snapey!" said James.

**: Professor Trelawney kept predicting Harry's death, which he found extremely annoying.**

: "You should have given it up like me, shouldn't you?" said Hermione briskly, buttering herself some toast.  
  
"Oh, she's hungry now, so house-elves seem OK for the minute," said Remus, raising his eyebrows.  
**   
: "Then you'd be doing something sensible like Arithmancy."**

: "You're eating again, I notice," said Ron, watching Hermione all liberal amounts of jam to her buttered toast.

: "I've decided there are better ways of making a stand about elf rights," said Hermione haughtily.  
  
"I bet you have," said James, grinning, just as Sirius was saying, "That, and you were hungry," at the same time.

**: "Yeah ... and you were hungry," said Ron, grinning.**

: There was a sudden rustling noise above them, and a hundred owls came soaring through the open windows, carrying the morning mail. Instinctively, Harry looked up, but there was no sign of white among the mass of brown and grey. The owls circled the tables, looking for the people to whom their letters and packages were addressed. A large tawny owl soared down to Neville Longbottom and deposited a parcel in his lap - Neville almost always forgot to pack something. On the other side of the Hall Draco Malfoy's eagle owl had landed on his shoulder, carrying what looked like his usual supply of sweets and cakes from home."Brat," the boys muttered.

"Because you wouldn't send your children sweets?" said Lily.

"Of course we would," said James, "but we can't. We're just annoyed at him because he has sweets and Harry doesn't." **: Trying to ignore the sinking feeling of disappointment in his stomach, Harry returned to his porridge.**"You're certainly taking your time in replying to him, Sirius," said James, frowning at him.

"I know," said Sirius, also frowning. "Normally I write back to people I like straight away ... maybe there's some kind of problem ... maybe something's wrong ..."

**: Was it possible that something had happened to Hedwig, and that Sirius hadn't even got his letter?**"Possibly," said James, though he didn't sound as though he believed it.

Sirius rested his head on his chin, in further thought.  
**   
: His preoccupation lasted all the way across the sodden vegetable patch until they arrived in greenhouse three, but here he was distracted by Professor Sprout showing the class the ugliest plants Harry had ever seen. Indeed, they looked less like plants then thick giant slugs, protruding vertically out of the soil. Each was squirming slightly, and had a number of large, shiny swellings upon it, which appeared full of liquid.**They all looked revolted as they all knew fine well what they were and what the class would have to do.

**: "Bubotubers," Professor Sprout told them briskly. "They need squeezing. You will collect the pus - **They all winced with looks of revulsion on their faces.  
**  
: "The _what_?" said Seamus Finnigan, sounding revolted.**

: "Pus, Finnigan, pus," said Professor Sprout, "and it's extremely valuable, so don't waste it. You will collect the pus, I say, in these bottles. Wear your dragon-hide gloves, it can do funny things to the skin when undiluted, Bubotuber pus."

: Squeezing the Bubotubers was disgusting, but oddly satisfying. As each swelling was popped, a large amount of thick yellowish green liquid burst forth, Sirius pushed the sweetie jar away from him, looking resentfully at the book at its daring to talk of such things when he wanted to eat.  
**   
: which smelled strongly of petrol.**"I like the smell of petrol," said Lily, smiling.**: They caught it in the bottles as Professor Sprout had indicated, and by the end of the lesson had collected several pints.**

: "This'll keep Madam Pomfrey happy," said Professor Sprout, stoppering the last bottle with a cork. "an excellent remedy for the more stubborn forms of acne, Bubotuber pus. Should stop students resorting to desperate measures to rid themselves of pimples."

: "Like poor Eloise Midgen," said Hannah Abbott, a Hufflepuff, in a hushed voice. "She tried to curse hers off."

: "Silly girl," said Professor Sprout, shaking her head. "But Madam Pomfrey fixed her nose back on in the end." "Remember when Lucilius Winkleman did that?" said Sirius.

"No, we'd put some concoction we'd made up earlier in his drink, and his nose fell off as a result," said Remus.

"Oh yeah, I forgot about that! He's still trying to find out who that was," said James, grinning.**: A booming bell echoed from the castle across the wet grounds signalling the end of the lesson, and the class separated; the Hufflepuffs climbing the stone steps for Transfiguration, and the Gryffindors heading in the other direction, down the sloping lawn towards Hagrid's small wooden cabin, which stood on the edge of the Forbidden Forest.**

: Hagrid was standing outside his hut, one hand on the collar of his enormous boarhound, Fang There were several open wooden crates on the ground at his feet, and Fang was whimpering and straining at his collar, apparently keen to investigate the contents more closely. As they drew nearer, an odd rattling noise reached their ears, punctuated by what sounded like minor explosions."In other words, Fang, I wouldn't go near that crate," said James.  
"You'd think the dog'll have learnt by now!" said Remus.**: "Mornin'!" Hagrid said, grinning at Harry, Ron and Hermione. "Be'er wait fer the Slytherins, they won' want ter miss this - Blast-Ended Skrewts!" **"You're joking?" said James, looking at the book in his hands.

"Why would anyone want to keep those things?" said Lily in exasperation.

**: "Come again?" said Ron.**

: Hagrid pointed down into the crates.

: "Eurgh!" squealed lavender Brown, jumping backwards.

: "Eurgh" just about summed up the Blast-Ended Skrewts, in Harry's opinion. They looked like deformed, shell-less lobsters, horribly pale and slimy-looking, with legs sticking out in very odd places and no visible heads. There were about a hundred of them in each crate, each about six inches long, crawling over each other, bumping blindly into the sides of the boxes.  
  
"Nice," said Remus, looking at the others skeptically.

"These thing'll probably grow to become about six-feet long each and will end up having a sudden hunger for children or something, knowing Hagrid," said Lily.

"Cool," said Sirius and James together.**: They were giving off a very powerful smell of rotting fish.**"Urgh," they all said, hiding their noses, when they obviously couldn't smell a thing in the far away past of James' room.**: Every now and then, sparks would fly out of the end of a Skrewt and, with a small _phut_, it would be propelled forwards several inches.**"So Hagrid's found a monster that needs to blast fire to be able to walk," said James, who seemed to be fast thinking that Skrewts were not in fact cool, but really revolting.**: "On'y jus' hatched," said Hagrid proudly, "so yeh'll be able ter raise 'em yerselves! Thought we'd make a bit of a project of it!"**

: "And why would we _want_ to raise them?" said a cold voice.

: The Slytherins had arrived."Unfortunately," said James.  
**   
: The speaker was Draco Malfoy.  
**  
"You surprise me," said Lily sarcastically.  
**   
: Crabbe and Goyle were chuckling appreciatively at his words.  
**  
"I'm surprised they even know the meaning of what Malfoy said," muttered Sirius.**: Hagrid looked stumped at the question.**

: "I mean, what do they _do_?" asked Malfoy. "What is the _point_ of them?" "I hate to agree with Malfoy on something, but by the sounds of those things, he has a point," said Remus.  
**  
: Hagrid opened his mouth, apparently thinking hard; there was a few seconds' pause, then he said roughly, "Tha's next lesson, Malfoy. Yer jus' feedin' 'em today. Now yeh'll wan' ter try 'em on a few diff'rent things - I've never had 'em before, not sure what they'll go fer - I got ant eggs an' frog livers an' a bit o' grass-snake - jus' try 'em out with a bit of each."   
**  
"This sounds like an action-packed lesson," said James, looking at the book anxiously.  
**   
: "First pus and now this," muttered Seamus.**

: Nothing but deep affection for Hagrid could have made Harry, Ron and Hermione pick up squelched handfuls of frog liver and lower them into the crates to tempt the Blast-Ended Skrewts. Harry couldn't suppress the suspicion that the whole thing was entirely pointless, because the Skrewts didn't seem to have mouths."And Hagrid hasn't noticed this?" said Sirius, exasperated.

"Of course he will have, but they must eat somehow," said Lily.  
**   
: "_Ouch!_" yelled Dean Thomas, after bout ten minutes. "It got me!"**

: Hagrid hurried over to him, looking anxious.

: "It's end exploded!" said Dean angrily, showing Hagrid a burn on his hand.

: "Ah, yeah, that can sometimes happen when they blast off," said Hagrid, nodding.

: "Eurgh!" said Lavender Brown again. "Eurgh, Hagrid, what's that pointy thing on it?" 

: "Ah, some of 'em have stings," said Hagrid enthusiastically (Lavender quickly withdrew her hand from the box). "I bet she did," said James, raising his eyebrows.**: "I reckon they're the males ... the females've got sorta sucker things on their bellies ... I think they might be ter suck blood." **"And why would you want to have one?" said Sirius.

"Trust Hagrid to find one of the most deadly creatures probably with no use on this planet," said James, smiling and shaking his head.

"They might have some unknown use that they discover in class or something," said Remus.

**: "Well, I can certainly see why we're trying to keep them alive," said Malfoy sarcastically. "Who wouldn't want pets that can burn, sting and bite all at once?" **

: "Just because they're not very pretty, it doesn't mean they're not useful," Hermione snapped. "Dragon blood's amazingly magical, but you wouldn't want a dragon for a pet, would you?" "Well, Hagrid would," said James, looking at the others.

**: Harry and Ron grinned at Hagrid, who gave them a furtive smile from behind his bushy beard. Hagrid would have liked nothing better than a pet dragon, as Harry, Ron and Hermione knew only too well - he had owned one for a brief period during their first year, a vicious Norwegian Ridgeback by the name or Norbert. Hagrid simply loves monstrous creatures - the more lethal, the better.  
**  
"Someone should get him a giant, then," said James.

"Don't say that - he'd probably love one!" said Lily in alarm.**: "Well, al least the Skrewts are small," said Ron, as they made their way back up to the castle for lunch an hour later.**

: "They are _now_," said Hermione in an exasperated voice, "but once Hagrid's found out what they eat, I expect they'll be six feet long." "Not good ... especially if they can kill you in two different ways!" said Remus.**: "Well, that won't matter if they turn out to cure sea sickness or something will it?" said Ron, grinning slyly at her.**

: "You know perfectly well I only said that to shut Malfoy up," said Hermione. "As a matter of fact I think he's right. The best thing to do would be to stamp on the lot of them before they start attacking us all."

: They sat down at the Gryffindor table and helped themselves to lamb chops and potatoes. Hermione began to eat so fast that Harry and Ron stared at her.

: "Er - is this your new stand of elf rights?" said Ron. "You're going to make yourself puke instead?"

: "No," said Hermione, with as much dignity she could muster with her mouth bulging with sprouts.  
They all burst out laughing.  
**   
: "I just want to get to the library."**

: "_What?_" said Ron in disbelief. "Hermione - it's the first day back! We haven't even got homework yet!" 

: Hermione shrugged and continued to shovel down her food as though she had not eaten for days. Then she leapt to her feet, said, "See you at dinner!" and departed at high speed.  
  
"She's nuts," said Sirius, with wide-eyed disbelief.

"Obsessed," agreed James.  
**   
: When the bell rang to signal the start of afternoon lessons, Harry and Ron set off for North Tower where, at the top of a tightly spiralling staircase, a silver stepladder led to a circular trapdoor in the ceiling, and the room where Professor Trelawney lived.**"Ugh, I can't believe they're gonna have to put up with another year of this old batty fraud," said Lily. "I mean, you could probably find a one-eyed hippogriff with the ability to talk and tap-dance to perform Divination better than what she can!"

"Imagine if you did see a one-eyed hippogriff who could talk and tap dance ..." said Sirius dreamily. "You could then hire him for your new school of ultimate Divination!"

"I'd prefer to teach Charms!" said Lily.

"Transfiguration's better," said James flatly. "Well, it's obviously not as good as Quidditch, but that goes without saying!"

**: The familiar sweet perfume emanating from the fire met their nostrils as they emerged at the top of the stepladder. As ever, the curtains were all closed; the circular room was bathed in a dim reddish light cast by the many lamps, which were all draped with scarves and shawls. Harry and Ron walked through the mass of occupied chintz chairs and poufs that cluttered the room, and sat down at the same small circular table.**

: "Good day," said the misty voice of Professor Trelawney right behind Harry making him jump.James started grumbling about how old frauds simply rely on the jump factor to impress their students.  
**   
: A very thin woman with enormous glasses that made her eyes appear far too large for her face, Professor Trelawney was peering down at Harry with the tragic expression she always wore whenever she saw him. The usual large amounts of beads, chains and bangles glittered upon her person in the firelight.**

: "You are preoccupied, my dear," she said mournfully to Harry."Probably thinking of places he'd rather be and things he'd rather be doing than sitting there listening to the pointless teachings of someone who thinks that a Grim is entertainment," said Sirius.**: "My Inner Eye sees past your brave face to the troubled soul within. And I regret to say that your worries are not baseless. I see difficult times ahead for you, alas ... most difficult ... I fear the thing you dread will indeed come to pass ... and perhaps sooner than you think ..." **James gave a frustrated and weary sigh, making it quite clear that he thought Professor Trelawney was determined to continually annoy his son.  
**   
: Her voice dropped to almost a whisper. Ron rolled his eyes at Harry, who looked stonily back. Professor Trelawney swept past them and seated herself in a large winged armchair before the fire, facing the class. Lavender Brown and Parvati Patil, who deeply admired Professor Trelawney, were sitting on poufs very close to her.**

: "My dears, it is time for us to consider the stars," she said. "The movements of the planets and the mysterious portents they reveal only to those who understand the steps of the celestial dance. Human destiny may be deciphered by the planetary rays, which intermingle ..."

: But Harry's thoughts had drifted. The perfume fire always made him feel sleepy and dull-witted, and Professor Trelawney's rambling talks on fortune-telling never held him exactly spellbound - though he couldn't help thinking about what she had just said to him.  
  
"Oh, Harry, don't pay any attention to her," said Lily.**: "_I fear the thing you dread will indeed come to pass ..._" **

: But Hermione was right, Harry thought irritably, Professor Trelawney really was an old fraud. He wasn't dreading anything at the moment at all ... well, unless you counted his fears that Sirius had been caught ... but what did Professor Trelawney know?   
  
"Exactly, Harry," said James.

"Yeah, if I'd been caught, it would be round the school by now," said Sirius fairly.

**: He had long since come to the conclusion that her brand of fortune-telling was really no more than luck guess-work and a spooky manner.**

: Except, of course, for that time at the end of last term, when she had made the prediction about Voldemort rising again ... and Dumbledore himself had said that he thought that trance had been genuine, when Harry had described it to him ... "Yes, Harry, but she doesn't remember that," said James, "it's not as if she's aware of the talent she sometimes decides to share with the world."   
**   
: "_Harry!_" Ron muttered.**

: "What?"

: Harry looked around; the whole class was staring at him. He sat up straight; he had almost been dozing off, lost in the heat and his thoughts."That's my boy!" said James happily. "Doing something useful, like sleeping, in that class!" **: "I was saying, my dear, that you were clearly born under the baleful influence of Saturn," said Professor Trelawney, a faint note of resentment in her voice at the fact that he had obviously not been hanging on her words.  
**  
"Hey! Don't get mad at him - you're probably boring the majority of that class to death, so don't go picking on Harry!" said Sirius angrily.**: "Born under - what, sorry?" said Harry.**

: "Saturn, dear, the planet Saturn!" said Professor Trelawney, sounding definitely irritated that he wasn't riveted by this news. "I was saying that Saturn was surely in a position of power in the heavens at the moment of your birth ... your dark hair ... your mean stature ... tragic losses so young in life ... "I'll tell you why that was, and I can assure you that all of those things had nothing to do with the planet Saturn,"said James irritably. "Firstly, Harry has dark hair and a mean stature because I have dark hair and a mean stature, and I am his father, and it is perfectly natural for children to have traits of their parents in them, secondly, he's had tragic losses so young in life because the evil git, Voldemort decided to kill us when he was only a kid, and I'm sure that he didn't decide to do so simply because the planet Saturn told him to!"  
**  
: I think I am right in saying, my dear, that you were born in mid-winter?"   
**  
"WRONG!" said Sirius suddenly and so loudly that the others jumped.

Then they all started to laugh and take the mickey out of Professor Trelawney.**: "No," said Harry, "I was born in July."**

: Ron hastily turned his laugh into a hacking cough.They laughed some more, clapping at Ron's genius response.**: Half an hour later, each of them had been given a complicated circular chart, and was attempting to fill in the position of the planets at their moment of birth. It was dull work, requiring much consultation of timetables and calculation of angles.**

: "I've got two Neptunes here," said Harry after a while, frowning down at a piece of parchment, "that can't be right, can it?"

: "Aaaaah," said Ron, imitating Professor Trelawney's mystical whisper, "when two Neptunes appear in the sky, it is a sure sign that a midget in glasses in being born, Harry ..." They all burst out laughing at this one.

"Oh," gasped Sirius, wiping tears from his eyes, "the comedy that can emerge out of one boring lesson and a pointless exercise!"   
**   
: "Seamus and Dean, who were working nearby, sniggered loudly, though not loudly enough to mask the excited squeals from Lavender Brown - "Oh, professor, look! I think I've got an unaspected planet! Oooh, which one's that, Professor?"   
: "It is Uranus, my dear," said Professor Trelawney, peering down at the chart.**

: "Can I have a look at Uranus, too, Lavender?" said Ron.

They burst out laughing again. Lily had come over all giggly again.

"What?" said James.

"I remember you saying that to me, once," said Lily, blushing, "though it obviously wasn't in a Divination lesson ..."

"Oh yeah," said James, also blushing, but trying furiously (and failing) to hide it.  
**  
: Most unfortunately, Professor Trelawney heard him, and it was this, perhaps, which made her give them so much homework at the end of class.**"Awww," moaned Sirius.

"Obviously no sense of humour," said James, as though this was an unforgivable crime.

"She'd get on well with Snape," muttered Remus.**: "A detailed analysis of the way the planetary movements in the coming month will affect you, with reference to your personal chart," she snapped, sounding more like Professor McGonagall than her usual airy-fairy self. "I want it ready to hand in next Monday, and no excuses!" **"Imagine if there _were_ another teacher like McGonagall at Hogwarts," said Sirius in barely more than a whisper, as though it might happen if he spoke it out any louder.

The others looked at him in great alarm and shuddered.

"Never, ever, say anything like that again. Ever," said James, in a forced-calm manner.  
**  
: "Miserable old bat," said Ron bitterly, as they joined the crowds descending the staircases back to the Great Hall and dinner. "That'll take all weekend, that will ..." **

: "Lots of homework?" said Hermione brightly, catching up with them. "Professor Vector didn't give _us_ any at all!"   
  
"You do that, Sirius," said Remus irritably, "and you have no idea how annoying it is!"

"Yes I do ... or I wouldn't keep doing it!" **: "Well, bully for Professor Vector," said Ron moodily.**

: They reached the Entrance Hall, which was packed with people queuing for dinner. They had just joined the end of the line, when a loud voice rang out behind them.  
: "Weasley! Hey, Weasley!"

: Harry, Ron and Hermione turned. Malfoy, Crabbe and Goyle were standing there, each looking thoroughly pleased about something.  
  
"Which means that it can't be good for them," said James, his eyes narrowing suspiciously.  
**   
: "What?" said Ron shortly.**

: "Your dad's in the paper, Weasley!" said Malfoy, brandishing a copy of the _Daily Prophet_, and speaking very loudly, so that everyone in the packed Entrance Hall could hear. "Listen to this!" : _FURTHER MISTAKES AT THE MINISTRY OF MAGIC  
_  
: _It seems as though the Ministry of Magic's troubles are not yet at an end, writes _Rita Skeeter, Special Correspondent."Still getting a feeling that this isn't good," said James impatiently.**: _Recently under fire for its poor crowd control at the Quidditch World Cup, and still unable to account for the disappearance of one of its witches, the Ministry was plunged into fresh embarrassment yesterday by the antics of Arnold Weasley, of the Misuse of Muggle Artefacts Office._**"There it is," said James, now sounding thoroughly annoyed.

"She didn't even get his name right!" said Lily angrily.**: _Arnold Weasley, who was charged with possession of a flying car two years ago, was yesterday involved with a tussle with several Muggle law-keepers ('policemen') over a number of highly aggressive dustbins. Mr Weasley appears to have rushed to the aid of "Mad-Eye" Moody, the aged ex-Auror who retired from the Ministry when no longer able to tell the difference between a handshake and attempted murder. Unsurprisingly, Mr Weasley found, upon arrival at Mr Moody's heavily guarded house, that Mr Moody had once again raised a false alarm. Mr Weasley was forced to modify several memories before he could escape from the policemen, but refused to answer_ Daily Prophet _questions about why he had involved the Ministry in such an undignified and potentially embarrassing scene._**"And I bet you would have handled the situation better, Skeeter, had you been there," said Lily, scathingly.

**: "And there's a picture, Weasley!" said Malfoy, flipping the paper over and holding it up.**"Now what you do, Ron, is you also say, 'Watch this everyone!' and punch Malfoy's face for him, and everyone will see him start to cry for mummy like the big baby he really is," said Sirius.**: "A picture of your parents outside their house - if you can call it a house! Your mother could do with losing a bit of weight, couldn't she?" **"HEY! SHUT YOUR MOUTH, YOU ... YOU ... YOU DUNG-HEAP!" screamed Lily.

"Woah... woah ... " said James, looking alarmed.

"Remind me not to get on the wrong side of her," Sirius muttered to James, also looking surprised at the spirit Lily suddenly showed.**: Ron was shaking with fury. Everyone was staring at him.**

: "Get stuffed, Malfoy," said Harry. "C'mon, Ron ..." 

: "Oh yeah, you were staying with them this summer, weren't you, Potter?" sneered Malfoy. "So tell me, is his mother really that porky, or is it just the picture?" "Go on, Harry - you tell him to shut his mouth!" said Lily.

James looked at her, completely shocked now; then he smiled and nodded his head.**: "You know _your_ mother, Malfoy?" said Harry - both he and Hermione had grabbed the back of Ron's robes to stop him launching himself at Malfoy - **"She's quite good looking, Harry, so I dunno what you're thinking of coming up with," said Sirius worriedly.  
**   
: "That expression she's got, like she's got dung under her nose? Has she always looked like that, or was it just because you were with her?"   
**  
They all roared with laughter.

"Ha ha!" cheered James.

"Take that, Malfoy!" said Remus.

"Teach you to mock my son and his mates in front of everyone!" stormed Lily.  
**   
: Malfoy's pale face went slightly pink. "Don't you dare insult my mother, Potter."**

: "Keep your fat mouth shut, then," said Harry, turning away."You tell him son!" **: BANG! **"HEY! MALFOY! _What did you do_?" said Lily in a deadly voice.**: Several people screamed - Harry felt something white-hot graze the side of his face - he plunged his hand into his robes for his wand, but before he'd even touched it, he heard a second loud BANG, and a roar which echoed through the Entrance Hall.**

: "OH NO YOU DON'T, LADDIE!" "What?" said James, looking at the book in utter bewilderment.

He looked at the others to make sure they were just as confused as what he was, and that he wasn't just being stupid.

**: Harry spun around. Professor Moody was limping down the marble staircase. His wand was out and it was pointing right at a pure white ferret, which was shivering on the stone-flagged floor, exactly where Malfoy had been standing.  
**  
"No," said James quietly, not daring to believe what he had read, a slight smile appearing on his face.

Sirius looked at him excitedly, rubbing his hands together.

"Has he done what I think he has?" said Lily, also looking thoroughly pleased about whatever it was she was thinking.

"By the sounds of things." 

And they all roared with laughter.

**: There was a terrified silence in the Entrance Hall. Nobody but Moody was moving a muscle. Moody turned to look at Harry - at least, his normal eye was looking at Harry; the other one was pointing into the back of his head.**

: "Did he get you?" Moody growled. His voice was low and gravelly.

: "No," said Harry, "missed." 

: "LEAVE IT!" Moody shouted.

: "Leave - what?" Harry said, bewildered."OK, OK, I'm really confused," said James putting the book down then rubbing his eyes to make sure that they were functioning properly. "Who's he talking to?"

But the others were still in awe of Moody over Malfoy.**: "Not you - him!" Moody growled, jerking his thumb over his shoulder at Crabbe, who had just frozen, about to pick up the white ferret. It seemed that Moody's rolling eye was magical and could see out of the back of his head.**

: Moody started to limp towards Crabbe, Goyle and the ferret, which gave a terrified squeak and took off, streaking towards the dungeons.

: "I don't think so!" roared Moody, pointing his wand at the ferret again - it flew ten feet into the air, fell with a smack to the floor , and then bounced upwards once more.They all snorted and laughed again.

"Imagine the look on his face when he's transfigured back!" said Sirius, excitedly.

**: "I don't like people who attack when their opponent's back's turned," growled Moody, as the ferret bounced higher and higher, squealing in pain. "Stinking, cowardly, scummy thing to do ..."**

: The ferret flew through the air, its legs and tail flailing helplessly.

: "Never - do - that - again -" said Moody, speaking each word as the ferret hit the stone floor and bounced upwards again."But - surely -" began Remus, but he couldn't get any more words out as a fresh wave of laughter engulfed him yet again. "Surely he'd be in trouble for doing such a thing ... I mean, McGonagall and Snape would've tried that long ago if transfiguration was used to discipline students ..." 

"Ah, Moony, you're ruining the image in my head!" said Sirius in outrage that his mate could ruin one of the best images ever. Then, as though a sudden idea came to him, he got out his list and scribbled something down, looking at the book, as though thanking it for giving him the best ever idea.  
**  
: "Professor Moody!" said a shocked voice.**

: Professor McGonagall was coming down the marble staircase with her arms full of books."Hmph!" snorted James. "McGonagall's here everyone ... party's over!"

Sirius looked extremely crestfallen with the idea that McGonagall was now there.  
**  
: "Hello, Professor McGonagall," said Moody calmly, bouncing the ferret still higher.**

: "What - what are you doing?" said Professor McGonagall, her eyes following the bouncing ferret's progress through the air.

: "Teaching," said Moody.  
  
They all braced themselves for the inevitable. Sirius and James rather looked like they were looking forward to watching Professor McGonagall shout at someone besides them for a change.**: "Teach- Moody, _is that a student_?" shrieked Professor McGonagall, the books spilling out of her arms.**They all burst out laughing.

"Excellent!" shouted Remus.  
**   
: "Yep," said Moody.**

: "No!" cried Professor McGonagall, running down the stairs and pulling out her wand; a moment later, with a loud snapping noise, Draco Malfoy had reappeared, lying in a heap on the floor with his sleek blonde hair all over his now brilliantly pink face. He got to his feet, wincing.They continued to laugh at the simple idea of the look on Malfoy's face.

"Serves him right," said Lily flatly.

**: "Moody, we _never_ use Transfiguration as a punishment!" said Professor McGonagall weakly. "Surely Professor Dumbledore told you that?"**

: "He might've mentioned it, yeah," said Moody, scratching his chin unconcernedly, "but I thought a good sharp shock -""I like this guy," said Sirius immediately. "He knows how to deal with gits like Malfoy!" **: "We give detentions, Moody! Or speak to the offender's Head of House!" **

: "I'll do that, then," said Moody, staring at Malfoy with great dislike.

: Malfoy, whose pale eyes were still watering with pain and humiliation, "Awwww ... he's crying ... He wants his mummy to hold his hand ... Awwww ..." cooed Sirius mockingly. "Well ... everyone point and laugh at the big mummy's boy cry baby, there!"   
**  
: looked malevolently up at Moody and muttered something in which the words "my father" were distinguishable.**"Oh, running to daddy, are we?" mocked James scathingly. "Well, if Moody was an Auror, he'll have your dad's number ... trust me." **: "Oh yeah?" said Moody quietly, limping forward a few steps, the dull _clunk_ of his wooden leg echoing around the hall. "Well, I know your father of old, boy ... you tell him Moody's keeping a close eye on his son ... you tell him that from me ... Now, your Head of House'll be Snape, will it?"**

: "Yes," said Malfoy resentfully.

: "Another old friend," growled Moody.  
  
Sirius' eyes lit up, "He mustn't like Snape, either. This is going to be good!"   
**   
: "I've been looking forward to a chat with old Snape ... come on, you ..." And he seized Malfoy's upper arm and marched him off towards the dungeons.**"HA HA!" cried James. "In your face, Malfoy!"   
**   
: Professor McGonagall stared anxiously after them for a few moments, then waved her wand at her fallen books, causing them to soar up into the air and back into her arms.**

: "Don't talk to me," Ron said quietly to Harry and Hermione, as they sat own at the Gryffindor table a few minutes later, surrounded by excited talks on all sides about what had just happened.

: "Why not?" said Hermione in surprise.

: "Because I want to fix that in my memory for ever," said Ron, his eyes closed and an uplifted expression on his face. "Draco Malfoy, the amazing bouncing ferret ..."   
  
They all laughed again.  
**   
: Harry and Hermione both laughed, and Hermione began doling beef casserole onto each of their plates.**

: "He could have really hurt Malfoy, though," she said. "It was good, really, that Professor McGonagall stopped it -"   
  
"God, there's always one there to ruin such a glorious image!" snapped Lily.  
**   
: "Hermione!" said Ron furiously, his eyes snapping open again. "You're ruining the best moment of my life!"**

: Hermione made an impatient noise and began to eat at top speed again.

: "Don't tell me you're going back to the library this evening?" said Harry, watching her.

: "Got to," said Hermione thickly. "Loads to do." "Hasn't she just said that she got no homework?" said Remus, frowning.

"Yep- I think she's looking up facts for something else," said James.

"Probably elf rights," said Lily. "She'll be thinking of ways to set up a protest or something ..."

**: "But you told us Professor Vector -"**

: "It's not schoolwork," she said. Within five minutes, she had cleared her plate and departed."She'll make herself ill if she goes on like that," said James, raising his eyebrows.  
**  
: No sooner had she gone than her seat was taken by Fred Weasley. "Moody!" he said. "How cool is he?" **"He should be, being an ex-Auror," said Sirius.**: "Beyond cool," said George, sitting down opposite Fred.**

: "Supercool," said the twins' best friend, Lee Jordan, sliding into the seat beside George. "We had him this afternoon," he told Harry and Ron.

: "What was it like?" said Harry eagerly.

: Fred, George and Lee exchanged looks full of meaning.

: "Never had a lesson like it," said Fred.

: "He _knows_, man," said Lee.

: "Knows what?" said Ron, leaning forward.

: "Knows what it's like to be out there _doing it_," said George impressively."Just think how much he can teach them!" said James excitedly. "I mean, combined with all the practical stuff they've learned with Remus, think how many spells Moody could teach them! Harry and Ron'll be invincible!" **: "Doing what?" said Harry.**

: "Fighting the Dark Arts," said Fred.

: "He's seen it all," said George.

: "'Mazing," said Lee.

: Ron dived into his bag for his timetable.

: "We haven't got him 'til Thursday!" he said in a disappointed voice."Awwwwwww ..." The boys all looked disappointed too and simultaneously started to moan about McGonagall's poor timetable sorting abilities.


	14. Chapter 14

**Disclaimer: Not mine.**

**Beta: loonygrl90**

**CHAPTER FOURTEEN**

: THE UNFORGIVABLE CURSES

"I don't like the sound of that," said James, staring at the words in front of him.

"Sounds like Moody's going to be teaching them about them," said Remus.

"But surely they're too young for things like that," said Lily.

"A Dark wizard won't think like that though," said Sirius darkly.**: The next two days passed without great incident, unless you counted Neville melting his sixth cauldron in Potions. Professor Snape, who seemed to have attained new levels of vindictiveness over the summer, gave Neville detention, and Neville returned from it in a nervous state of collapse, having been made to disembowel a barrelful of horned toads.  
**  
"Urgh," said Lily and James together.

"I think Snape must naturally be a git to come up with something like that," said Remus.

"And it's taken you _this_ long to work that out?" said Sirius, looking up from his list.

**: "You know why Snape's in such a foul mood, don't you?" said Ron to Harry, as they watched Hermione teaching Neville a Scouring Charm to remove the toad guts from under his fingernails.**

: "Yeah," said Harry. "Moody." A wide and wicked smile was forming on Sirius' face at the sudden thought that had just come into his head.**: It was common knowledge that Snape really wanted the Dark Arts job, and he now failed to get it for the fourth year running. Snape had disliked all of their previous Dark Arts teachers, and shown it -   
**  
"Especially you, Remus," said James, with a slight grin.

Remus grinned back.  
**   
: but he seemed strangely wary of displaying overt animosity to Mad-Eye Moody.  
**  
"Awwwww," cooed Sirius in his sickening mocking voice he tended to adopt when making fun of Snape, "is ol' Snivelly a scaredy-pants and an eentsy bit scared of big, bad, Mad-Eye Moody?"

**: Indeed, whenever Harry saw the two of them together - at mealtimes, or when they passed in the corridors - he had the distinct impression that Snape was avoiding Moody's eye, whether magical or normal.**"I bet he is," growled James, "and there must be a very good reason for that, don't you think?" he added to the others in the room.

"You can't go accusing him of anything when you have no real evidence," said Remus warningly.****

: "I reckon Snape's a bit scared of him, you know," Harry said thoughtfully.

:"Imagine if Moody turned Snape into a horned toad," said Ron, his eyes misting over, "and bounced him all around his dungeon ..." "There's an idea!" said Sirius brightly, "Thanks, Ron!" He took out his list again and began to scribble.**: The Gryffindor fourth-years were looking forward to Moody's first lesson so much that they arrived early after lunch on Thursday and queued up outside his classroom before the bell had even rung.**

: The only person missing was Hermione, who turned up just in time for the lesson.

: "Been in the -" 

: "- library," Harry finished her sentence for her.

"Well, where else does she ever go?" said Lily.

**: "C'mon, quick, or we won't get decent seats."**

: They hurried into three chairs right in front of the teacher's desk, "That's the worst place to be!" said James in outrage, while Sirius nodded fervently.

"Yes, but it's good if they want a good view of what Moody will teach them!" said Lily excitedly.  
**   
: took out copies of _The Dark Forces: A Guide to Self-Protection_, and waited, unusually quiet. Soon they heard Moody's distinctive clunking footsteps coming down the corridor, and he entered the room, looking as strange and frightening as ever. They could just see his clawed, wooden foot protruding from underneath his robes.**"Cool," said the boys in awestruck voices.

**: "You can put those away," he growled, stumping over to his desk and sitting down, "those books. You won't need them." **"The best thing a teacher says," said James eagerly.**: They returned the books to their bags, Ron looking excited.**

: Moody took out a register, shook his long mane of grizzled grey hair out of his twisted and scarred face and began to call out names, his normal eye moving steadily down the list while his magical eye swivelled around, fixing upon each student as he or she answered.**: "Right then," he said, when the last person had declared themselves present, "I've had a letter from Professor Lupin about this class. Seems you've had a pretty thorough grounding in tackling Dark creatures - you've covered Boggarts, Red Caps, Hinkypunks, Grindylows, Kappas and werewolves, is that right?" **"Absolutely right, though the last one was due to the niceness of Professor Snape," said Remus cooly.**: There was a general murmur of assent.**

: "But your behind - very behind - on dealing with curses," said Moody. "So I'm here to bring you up to scratch on what wizards can do to each other. I've got one year to teach you how to deal with Dark -"

: "What, aren't you staying?" Ron blurted out."Yeah - you'd think Hogwarts would try to keep hold of an ex-Auror as a teacher," said James.

"Yeah but he's just come out of retirement, so he must be pretty old," said Remus.**: Moody's magical eye spun around to stare at Ron; Ron looked extremely apprehensive, but after a moment Moody smiled - the first time Harry had seen him do so. The effect was to make his heavily scarred face look more twisted and contorted than ever, but it was nevertheless a relief to know that he ever did anything as friendly as a smile. Ron looked deeply relieved.**

: "You'll be Arthur Weasley's son, eh?" Moody said. "Your father got me out of a very tight corner a few days ago ... yeah, I'm staying just the one year. Special favour to Dumbledore ... one year, and then back to my quiet retirement." 

: He gave a harsh laugh, and then clapped his gnarled hands together.

: "So - straight into it. Curses.

They all clapped their hands together excitedly, as though getting ready for a right treat.

**: They come in many strengths and forms. Now, according to the Ministry of Magic, I'm supposed to teach you counter-curses and leave it at that. I'm not supposed to show you what illegal Dark curses look like until you're in sixth year. You're not supposed to be old enough to deal with it 'til then.**"And they're quite right! We had to wait for the good stuff!" huffed Lily.  
**  
: But Professor Dumbledore's got a higher opinion of your nerves, he reckons you can cope, and I say, the sooner you know what you're up against, the better.**"Damn straight!" said Sirius and James together.**: How are you supposed to defend yourself against something you've never seen? A wizard who's about to put an illegal curse on you isn't going to tell you what he's about to do.  
**  
"I like this guy! He's the next best after you, Remus," said James.

"Come off it, he's way better than me!" said Remus.

"No he's not - you would have taught them spells eventually, I mean, you won't have expected to be found out, would you?" added Sirius.**: He's not going to do it nice and polite to your face. You need to be prepared. You need to be alert and watchful. You need to put that away, Miss Brown, when I'm talking."**

: Lavender jumped and blushed. She had been showing Parvati her completed horoscope under the desk. Apparently Moody's magical eye could see through solid wood, as well as out of the back of his head."Imagine if we had such a teacher, Prongs," said Sirius, grinning.

"Yeah, I know - it would certainly make us more cautious and well-behaved, wouldn't it?" said James, also grinning.

"I doubt it," muttered Remus, a smile also forming on his face.  
**   
: "So ... do any of you know which curses are most heavily punished by wizarding law?"**

: Several hands rose tentatively in the air, including Ron's and Hermione's. Moody pointed at Ron, though his magical eye was still fixed on Lavender.

: "Er," said Ron tentatively, "my dad told me about one ... is it called the Imperius curse, or something?"

: "Ah, yes," said Moody appreciatively. "Your father _would_ know that one. Gave the Ministry a lot of trouble at one time, the Imperius curse."

: Moody got heavily to his mismatched feet, opened his desk drawer, and took out a glass jar. Three large, black spiders was scuttling around inside it.  
  
"That'll please Ron," said Lily, "especially if he's so near the teacher's desk."   
**   
: Harry felt Ron recoil slightly next to him - Ron hated spiders.**

: Moody reached into the jar, caught one of the spiders and held it in the palm of his hand so that they could all see it.

: He then pointed his wand at it, and muttered, "_Imperio!_"

: The spider leapt from Moody's hand on a fine thread of silk, and began to swing backwards and forwards as though on a trapeze. It stretched out its legs rigidly, then did a backflip, breaking the thread and landing on the desk, where it began to cartwheel in circles. Moody jerked his wand, and the spider rose onto two of its hind legs and went into what was unmistakably a tap dance.

: Everyone was laughing - everyone except Moody."Well that's because Moody will know what people make other people do with that curse and the kids won't," said James.

**: "Think it's funny, do you?" he growled. "You'd like it, would you, if I did it to you?"**

: The laughter died away almost instantly.

: "Total control," said Moody quietly, as the spider balled itself up and began to roll over and over. "I could make it jump out of the window, drown itself, throw itself down one of your throats ..." 

: Ron gave an involuntary shudder.

: "Years back, there were a lot of witches and wizards being controlled by the Imperius curse," said Moody, and Harry knew he was talking about the days in which Voldemort had been all-powerful. "Some job for the Ministry, trying to sort out who was being forced to act, and who was acting of their own free will.

: "The Imperius curse can be fought, and I'll be teaching you how, but it takes real strength of character, and not everyone's got it. Better avoid being hit with it if you can.

"Better to avoid any curse if you can," said Lily.

"Damn straight," the boys agreed.**: CONSTANT VIGILANCE!" he barked, and everyone jumped.**

"Woah ... bit of a dramatist, isn't he?" said Sirius.

"Well, at least they'll remember those words," said James, looking shocked at such behaviour.**: Moody picked up the somersaulting spider and threw it back into the jar. "Anyone else know one? Another illegal curse?" **"I know them all," said Sirius, in a showing off sort of voice.

"Well, of course you do," snapped Remus, "you've already had the lessons, but they haven't!" **: Hermione's hand flew into the air again and so, to Harry's slight surprise, did Neville's. The only class in which Neville usually volunteered information was Herbology, which was easily his best subject. Neville looked surprised at his own daring.**

: "Yes?" said Moody, his magical eye rolling right over to fix on Neville.

: "There's one - the Cruciatus curse," said Neville, in a small but distinct voice.

: Moody was looking very intently at Neville, this time with both eyes.

: "Your name's Longbottom?" he said, his magical eye swooping down to check the register again.

: Neville nodded nervously, but Moody made no further enquiries. Turning back to the class at large, he reached into the jar for the next spider and placed it upon the desktop, where it remained motionless, apparently too scared to move.  
  
"How would he know if the spider wasn't the same one as the one he used before?" said Sirius.

"I don't think it matters," said James.

"Just wondering," Sirius shrugged.

**: "The Cruciatus curse," said Moody. "Needs to be a bit bigger for you to get the idea," he said, pointing his wand at the spider. "_Engorgio!_"**"That'll please Ron even more ... a giant spider right in front of him," said James, adding to Lily's earlier comment.

**: The spider swelled. It was now larger than a tarantula. Abandoning all pretence, Ron pushed his chair backwards, as far away from Moody's desk as possible.**

"Poor guy," muttered James.**: Moody raised his wand again, pointed it at the spider, and muttered, "_Crucio!_"**

: At once, the spider's legs bent upon its body; it rolled over and began to twitch horribly, rocking from side to side. No sound came from it, but Harry was sure that if it could have given voice, it would have been screaming.  
  
They all gave an involuntary shudder.  
**  
: Moody did not remove his wand, and the spider started to shudder and jerk more violently -**

: "Stop it!" Hermione said shrilly.

: Harry looked around at her. She was looking, not at the spider, but at Neville, and Harry, following her gaze, saw that Neville's hands were clenched upon the desk in front of him, his knuckles white, his eyes wide and horrified.  
  
"Oh my God," said Lily, shocked.

"Christ, what's the matter with him?" said James, also sounding concerned for him.

"Sounds like it's not the first time he's seen that," said Sirius, thoughtfully.  
**   
: Moody raised his wand. The spider's legs relaxed, but it continued to twitch.**

: "_Reducio_," Moody muttered, and the spider shrank back to its proper size. He put it back into the jar.

: "Pain," said Moody softly. "You don't need thumbscrews or knives to torture someone if you can perform the Cruciatus curse ... that one was very popular once, too.  
  
"I bet it was," growled Sirius menacingly.**: "Right ... anyone know any others?"**

: Harry looked around. From the looks on everyone's faces, he guessed they were all wondering what was going to happen to the last spider. Hermione's hand shook slightly as, for the third time, she raised it into the air.

: "Yes?" said Moody, looking at her.They all looked at each other darkly, knowing fine well what was coming next.  
**  
: "_Avada Kedavra_," Hermione whispered.**

: Several people looked uneasily around at her, including Ron.

: "Ah," said Moody, another slight smile twisting his lop-sided mouth. "Yes, the last and worst. _Avada Kedavra_ ... the Killing curse.""Actually, I don't want Harry to see this," said James suddenly, blanching.

"Why not?" said Remus, in surprise.

"How do you think Voldemort killed us, Remus?" said James. "I don't really want him to be exposed to something that will remind him of something so horrible in front of all those people."

Sirius looked at the book, then at James worriedly.

**: He put his hand into the glass jar, and almost as though it knew what was coming, the third spider scuttled frantically around the bottom of the jar, trying to evade Moody's fingers, but he trapped it, and placed it upon the desktop. It started to scuttle frantically across the wooden surface.**

: Moody raised his wand, and Harry felt a sudden thrill of foreboding.

: "_Avada Kedavra!_" Moody roared.

: There was a flash of blinding green light and a rushing sound, as though a vast, invisible something was soaring through the air - instantaneously the spider rolled over onto its back, unmarked, but unmistakably dead.

James was wincing, hoping to God that Harry didn't freak out or anything.  
**  
: Several of the girls stifled cries; Ron had thrown him,self backwards and almost toppled off his seat as the spider skidded towards him.**

: Moody swept the dead spider off the desk onto the floor.

: "Not nice," he said calmly. "Not pleasant."Of course it's not," said Sirius in an undertone, as though Moody was stupidly stating the obvious, "you're dead as soon as it hits you!"**: And there's no counter-curse. There's no blocking it. Only one known person has ever survived it, and he's sitting right in front of me."**

: Harry felt his face redden as Moody's eyes (both of them) looked into his own."Of course, he must have survived it," said James, in a kind of awestruck pride. "I mean, Voldemort tried to kill him - how else would he have tried to do it?"

"Just as well he killed me first, isn't it," said Lily, tears sparkling in her eyes.**: He could feel everyone else looking around at him, too. Harry stared at the blank blackboard as though fascinated by it, but not really seeing it at all ...**

: So that was how his parents had died ... exactly like that spider. Had they been unblemished and unmarked, too? Had they simply seen the flash of green light and heard the rush of speeding death, before life was wiped from their bodies?  
  
"I hope not," said Lily, looked terrified at the very idea of dying like that.

"Do you think it hurts?" asked James.

No one replied, simply shrugging. After all, none of them had died, so how would they know? **: Harry had been picturing his parents' deaths over and over again for three years now, ever since he had found out they had been murdered, ever since he'd found out what had happened that night: how Wormtail had betrayed his parents' whereabouts to Voldemort, who had come to find them at their cottage. How Voldemort had killed Harry's father first. How James Potter had tried to hold him off, while he shouted at his wife to take Harry and run ... and Voldemort had advanced on Lily Potter, told her to move aside so that he could kill Harry ... how she had begged him to kill her instead, refused to stop shielding her son ... and so Voldemort had murdered her, too, before turning his wand on Harry ...   
**  
They had never had their deaths described in such vivid detail. They knew the facts of their deaths, but they had received the information in fragments across three books, and to have it pasted together and recited to them like this was overwhelming. Everyone in James Potter's room was weeping at this stream of thought coming from Harry's head.**: Harry knew these details because he had heard his parents' voices when he had fought the Dementors last year - for that was the terrible power of the Dementors: to force their victim to relive the worst memories of their life, and drown, powerless, in their own despair ... **"They're horrible things," snapped Lily, bringing out a tissue to wipe her nose.

**: Moody was speaking again, from a great distance, it seemed to Harry. With a massive effort, he pulled himself back to the present, and listened to what Moody was saying.**

: "Avada Kedavra's a curse that needs a powerful bit of magic behind it - you could all get your wands out now and point them at me and say the words, and I doubt I'd get so much as a nose-bleed. But that doesn't matter. I'm not here to teach you how to do it.  
  
"Good," said James.  
**   
: "Now, if there's no counter-curse, why am I showing you? _Because you've got to know_. You've got to appreciate what the worst is. You don't want to find yourself in a situation where you're facing it. CONSTANT VIGILANCE!" he roared, and the whole class jumped again.**

: "Now ... those three curses - Avada Kedavra, Imperius and Cruciatus - are known at the Unforgivable Curses. The use of any one of them on a fellow human being is enough to earn a life sentance in Azkaban. That's what you're up against. That's what I've got to teach you to fight. You need preparing. You need arming. But most of all, you need to practise _constant, never-ceasing vigilance_. Get out your quills ... copy this down ..." "Yep, he's definitely paranoid," said Sirius, weakly.

"What's he think's going to happen?" said James, startled. "Does he think someone's gonna run in and start cursing them on the spot?" **: They spent the rest of the lesson taking notes on each of the Unforgivable Curses. No one spoke until the bell rang - but when Moody had dismissed them and they they had left the classroom, a torrent of talk burst forth. Most people were discussing the curses in awed voices - "Did you see it twitch?" "- and when he killed it - just like that!" **"It's not funny!" said Remus, sounding shocked.

"Yes, but they're kids," said Lily. "They'll not think of it in the way older people will."   
**   
: They were talking about the lesson, Harry thought, as though it had been some sort of spectacular show, but he hadn't found it very entertaining - and nor, it seemed, had Hermione.**

: "Hurry up," she said tensely to Harry and Ron.

: "Not the ruddy library again?" said Ron.

: "No," said Hermione curtly, pointing up a side passage. "Neville." "Oh, I hope he's OK, the poor kid," said Lily sadly.

"Wonder what's made him so affected by it?" said James.**: Neville was standing alone, halfway up the passage, staring at the stone wall opposite him with the same horrified, wide-eyed look he was worn when Moody had demonstrated the Cruciatus curse.**

: "Neville?" Hermione said gently.

: Neville looked around.

: "Oh, hello," he said, his voice much higher than usual. "Interesting lesson, wasn't it? I wonder what's for dinner, I'm - I'm starving, aren't you?"

: "Neville, are you all right?" said Hermione.

: "Oh, yes, I'm fine," Neville gabbed, in the same unnaturally high voice. "Very interesting dinner - I mean lesson - what's for eating?"

: Ron gave Harry a startled look.

: "Neville, what -?" They all looked at the book sympathetically, all of them now convinced that he must have seen that curse before and it had affected him badly. **: But an odd clunking noise sounded behind them, and they turned to see Professor Moody limping towards them. All four of them fell silent, watching him apprehensively, but when he spoke, it was in a much lower and gentler growl than they had yet heard.**"Didn't know that a growl could sound gentle," said Lily.

"Mine does," said Sirius.

Remus and James rolled their eyes.

**: "It's all right, sonny," he said to Neville."Why don't you come up to my office? Come on ... we can have a cup of tea ..." **"Oh yeah, 'cos that'll cheer him up," said Sirius sarcastically.

"He's just being nice and trying to help," said Lily.

"Maybe he knows why it's affected him so," said James thoughtfully.  
**   
: Neville looked even more frightened at the prospect of tea with Moody. He neither moved nor spoke.**

: Moody turned his magical eye upon Harry. "You all right, are you, Potter?"   
  
James smiled at this.**: "Yes," said Harry, almost defiantly.**Lily rolled her eyes and muttered "Men."   
**   
: Moody's blue eye quivered slightly in its socket as it surveyed Harry.**

: Then he said, "You've got to know. It seems harsh, maybe, _but you've got to know_. No point pretending ... well ... come on, Longbottom, I've got some books that might interest you."

: Neville looked pleadingly at Harry, Ron and Hermione, but they didn't say anything, so Neville had no choice but to allow himself to be steered away, one of Moody's gnarled hands on his shoulder.

: "What was that about?" said Ron, watching Neville and Moody turn the corner.

: "I don't know," said Hermione, looking pensive.

: "Some lesson, though, eh?" said Ron to Harry, as they set off for the Great Hall. "Fred and George were right, weren't they? He really knows his stuff, Moody, doesn't he? When he did Avada Kedavra, the way that spider just _died_, just snuffed it right -" James was wincing at how Harry might be reacting to this utterance.**: But Ron fell suddenly silent at the look on Harry's face, and didn't speak again until they reached the Great Hall, when he said he supposed they had better make a start on Professor Trelawney's predictions tonight, as they would take hours.**"Just make it up," said Sirius, "that's what I would do."

"She certainly wouldn't notice anything," said Remus.**: Hermione did not join in with Harry and Ron's conversation during dinner, but ate furiously fast and then left for the library again. Harry and Ron walked back to Gryffindor Tower, and Harry, who had been thinking of nothing else all through dinner, now raised the subject of the Unforgivable Curses himself.**

: "Wouldn't Moody and Dumbledore be in trouble with the Ministry if they knew we'd seen the curses?" Harry asked, as they approached the Fat Lady.

: "Yeah, probably," said Ron. "But Dumbledore's always done things his way, hasn't he, and Moody's been getting in trouble for years, I reckon. Attacks first and asks questions later - look at his dustbins. Balderdash."

: The Fat Lady swung forwards to reveal the entrance hole, and they climbed into Gryffindor common room, which was crowded and noisy.

: "Shall we get our Divination stuff, then?" said Harry.

: "I s'pose," Ron groaned."Ugh, homework," moaned Sirius, "the worst thing about Hogwarts."

**: They went up to the dormitory to fetch their books and charts, and found Neville there alone, sitting on his bed, reading. He looked a good deal calmer than at the end of Moody's lesson, though still not entirely normal. His eyes were rather red.  
**  
"Aww, he's been crying," said Lily sadly.**: "You all right, Neville?" Harry asked him.**

: "Oh yes," said Neville, "I'm fine, thanks. Just reading this book Professor Moody lent me ..."

: He held up the book: _Magical Mediterranean Water-Plants and Their Properties_."BORING!" said Sirius loudly in a groaning trill.

Remus threw a large book at him.**: "Apparently, Professor Sprout told Professor Moody I'm really good at Herbology," Neville said. There was a faint note of pride in his voice that Harry had rarely heard there before. "He thought I'd like this."**

: Telling Neville what Professor Sprout had said, Harry thought, had been a very tactful way of cheering Neville up, for Neville very rarely heard that he was good at anything. It was the sort of thing Professor Lupin would have done.Remus smiled broadly, very pleased that Harry thought so well of him.

"He likes me better," said Sirius, in his playful, jokey voice.

"Shut up, Sirius," said Remus, "he likes us all!"

"Obviously he likes me the most, though," said James smugly.

Lily threw a pillow at him.**: Harry and Ron took their copies of _Unfogging the Future_ back down to the common room, found a table and set to work on their predictions for the coming month. An hour later, they had made very little progress, though their table was littered with bits of parchment bearing sums and symbols, and Harry's brain was as fogged as though it had been filled with the fumed from Professor Trelawney's fire.**

: "I haven't got a clue what this lot's supposed to mean," he said, staring down at a long list of calculations."Neither will your teacher, so you should just write anything down," said James.  
**   
: "You know," said Ron, whose hair was on end because of all the times he had run his fingers through it in frustration, "I think it's back to the old Divination standby."**

: "What - make it up?" 

"WOO HOO!" said Sirius in praise that they decided to take this method up.**: "Yeah," said Ron, sweeping the jumble of scrawled notes off the table, dipping his pen into some ink and starting to write.**

: "Next Monday," he said, as he scribbled, "I am likely to develop a cough, owing to the unlucky conjunction of Mars and Jupiter." He looked up at Harry. "You know her - just put in loads of misery, she'll lap it up."

: "Right," said Harry, crumpling up his first attempt and lobbing it over the heads of a group of chattering first-years into the fire. "OK ... on Monday, _I_ will be in danger of - er - burns."

: "Yeah, you will be," said Ron darkly, "we're seeing the Skrewts again on Monday. OK, Tuesday, _I'll_ ... erm ..."

: "Lose a treasured possession," said Harry, who was flicking through _Unfogging the Future_ for ideas.

: "Good one," said Ron, copying it down. "Because of ... erm ... Mercury. Why don't you get stabbed in the back by someone you thought was a friend?"

: "Yeah ... cool ..." said Harry, scribbling it down, "because ... Venus is in the twelfth house.""Won't it be massively obvious that they've made these up," said Lily.

"Probably, but Trelawney's also too stupid to spot that," said Sirius. "Plus, she doesn't know enough to prove them wrong."

**: "And on Wednesday, I think I'll come off worst in a fight."**

: "Aaah, I was going to have a fight. OK, I'll lose a bet."

: "Yeah, you'll be betting I'll win my fight ..." 

: They continued to make up predictions (which grew steadily more tragic) for another hour, while the common room around them slowly emptied as people went up to bed. Crookshanks wandered over to them, leapt lightly into an empty chair, and stared inscrutably at Harry, rather as Hermione might look if she knew they weren't doing their homework properly."Oh because she's gonna care whether or not they pass that class, as she left because it was so useless," said James sarcastically.**: Staring around the room, trying to think of a kind of misfortune he hadn't yet used, Harry saw Fred and George sitting together against the opposite wall, heads together, quills out, poring over a single piece of parchment. It was most unusual to see Fred and George hidden away in a corner and working silently; they usually liked to be in the thick of things, and the noisy centre of attention. There was something secretive about the way they were working on the piece of parchment,  
**  
"So don't be nosey, Harry," said Lily.  
**   
: and Harry was reminded of how they was sat together writing something back at The Burrow. He had thought then that it was another order form for _Weasleys' Wizard Wheezes_, but it didn't look like that this time; if it had been, they would surely have let Lee Jordan in on the joke. He wondered whether it had anything to do with entering the Triwizard Tournament.**"Probably," said Sirius, a grin forming on his face.**: As Harry watched, George shook his head at Fred, scratched something out with his quill and said, in a very quiet voice that nevertheless carried across the almost deserted room, "No - that sounds like we're accusing him. Got to be careful ..."**

: Then George looked over and saw HArry watching him. Harry grinned, and quickly returned to his predictions - he didn't want George to think he was eavesdropping. Shortly after that, the twins rolled up their parchment, said goodnight and went off to bed.

: Fred and George had been gone ten minutes or so when the portrait hole opened and Hermione climbed into the common room, carrying a sheaf of parchment in one hand and a box whose contents rattled as she walked, in the other. Crookshanks arched his back, purring.

: "Hello," she said, "I've just finished!"

: "So have I!" said Ron triumphantly, throwing down his quill."YAY!" they all cheered.

"What a waste of time, though!" huffed Lily.

"Yeah, I know," agreed James, "it's not as if they've learned anything, except that they'll probably get away with making things up in her class." **: Hermione sat down, laid the things she was carrying in an empty armchair and pulled Ron's predictions towards her.**

: "Not going to have a very good month, are you?" she said sardonically, as Crookshanks curled up in her lap.

: "Ah well, at least I'm forewarned," Ron yawned.  
They all chuckled.

"Dunno why Hermione cares so much," said Remus.

"Just as well Harry and Ron don't," said Sirius.  
**   
: "You seem to be drowning twice," said Hermione.**

: "Oh, am I?" said Ron, peering down at his predictions. "I'd better change one of them to getting trampled by a rampaging Hippogriff.""Surely she'll know they've made them up," said Lily.

"We'll soon enough find out, won't we," said James, smiling.

**: "Don't you think it's a bit obvious you've made this up?" said Hermione.**

: "How dare you!" said Ron, in mock outrage. "We've been working like house-elves here!" "Not a good thing to say to her," said Sirius wincing.

"We're gonna have to listen to a big spiel on elf rights now," grumbled James.**: Hermione raised her eyebrows.**

: "It's just an expression," said Ron hastily.

: Harry laid down his quill, too, having just finished predicting his own death by decapitation.

: "What's in the box?" he asked, pointing at it.

: "Funny you should ask," said Hermione, 

"Why, what's funny about it?" asked Sirius.

"What's funny?" said James.

"_What_?" said Remus, in confusion. "Nothing's funny." 

"So why is everyone saying something's funny?" said Lily, looking bewildered.

"I'm confused," said James, completely stating the obvious.

"Let's just forget this conversation ever happened and continue with the book," said Remus.**: with a nasty look at Ron. She took off the lid, and showed them the contents.**

: Inside were about fifty badges, all of different colours, but all bearing the same letters: S. P. E. W. "Spew?" said James. "Is she starting up some health club or something?"

Sirius and Remus were trying to stifle their giggles.

**: "'Spew'?" said Harry, picking up a badge and looking at it. "What's this about?"**

: "Not _spew_," said Hermione impatiently. "Its S - P - E - W. Stands for the Society for the Promotion of Elfish Welfare."

: "Never heard of it," said Ron.

: "Well, of course you haven't," said Hermione briskly, "I've only just started it."

: "Yeah?" said Ron in mild surprise. "How many members have you got?"

: "Well - if your two join - three," said Hermione.

: "And you think we want to walk around wearing badges saying 'spew', do you?" said Ron."Sorry Hermione, I don't like the way people treat elves either, but they have a point," said Lily fairly. "You're not going to promote it very well with a badge which spells 'spew' on it."

"Damn straight," said James and Sirius, giggling along with Remus.  
**   
: "S - P - E - W!" said Hermione hotly. "I was going to put Stop the Outrageous Abuse of Our Fellow Magical Creatures and Campaign for a Change in Their Legal Status - but it wouldn't fit. So that's the heading of our manifesto."**

: She brandished the sheaf of parchment at them. "I've been researching it thoroughly in the library. Elf enslavement goes back centuries. I can't believe no one's done anything about it before now."

: "Hermione - open your ears," said Ron loudly. "They. Like. It. They _like_ being enslaved.""Well, they're used to it," said Lily hotly.

"Yes, but have you been in the kitchens?" said James.

"No," said Lily, "why?"

"Well," -he looked at Remus and Sirius- "we have, and the elves there are so happy. They think they've got the most honourable job an elf could have! I'd hate to see the look on their faces if anyone told them they had to be paid, so a lot of them would have to leave."

"None of them would have to leave, though," said Lily.

"Oh, come on, Evans, use your brains," said James, "money's always tight, so Dumbledore'd have to cut the amount of them - Hogwarts wouldn't be able to afford to pay hundreds of elves!"

**: "Our short-term aims," said Hermione, speaking even more loudly than Ron, and acting as though she hadn't heard a word, "are to secure house-elves fair wages and working conditions. Our long-term aims include changing the law about non-wand-use, and trying to get an elf into the Department for the Regulation and Control of Magical Creatures, because they're shockingly unrepresented."  
**  
"Elves don't need wands, though," said Sirius, "they have their own brand of magic.""She'll be lucky to get an elf in the Ministry, that is as a member of staff and not as a cleaner," said Remus.  
**  
: "And how do we do all this?" Harry asked.**

: "We start by recruiting members," said Hermione happily. "I thought two Sickles to join - that buys a badge - and the proceeds can fund our leaflet campaign. You're treasurer, Ron - I've got you a collecting tin upstairs - and Harry, you're secretary, so you might want to write down everything I'm saying now, as a record of our first meeting."  
  
"And do you not think that Harry has better and more important things to be doing with his time and resources?" said James.**: There was a pause in which Hermione beamed at the pair of them, and Harry sat, torn between exasperation at Hermione, and amusement at the look on Ron's face. The silence was broken, not by Ron, who in any case looked as though he was temporarily dumbstruck, **They all laughed.**: but by a soft _tap, tap_ on the window. Harry looked across the now empty common room, and saw, illuminated by the moonlight, a snowy owl perched on the window-sill.**

: "Hedwig!" he shouted, and he launched himself out of his chair and across the room to pull open the window."At last!" said James, smiling at Sirius. "You've replied at last, Padfoot!"

"Told you I would!" said Sirius, smiling.**: Hedwig flew inside, soared across the room and landed on the table on top of Harry's predictions.**

: "About time!" said Harry, hurrying after her.

: "She' got an answer!" said Ron excitedly, pointing at the grubby piece of parchment tied to Hedwig's leg.

: Harry hastily untied it and sat down to read it, whereupon Hedwig fluttered onto his knee, hooting softly.

: "What does it say?" Hermione asked breathlessly.

: The letter was very short, and looked as though it had been scrawled in a great hurry. Harry read it aloud: 

: _Harry -_

: _I'm flying north immediately. This news about your scar is the latest in a series of strange rumours that have reached me here._James looked at Sirius worriedly.

"Wonder what that means," said Remus, also looking at Sirius.

"I don't know," said Sirius, "this is years from now!"

"Maybe he knows more about the whereabouts of Voldemort now," said James in a forced calm voice.

Lily looked absolutely horrified at this prospect.**: _If it hurts again, go straight to Dumbledore - they're saying he's got Mad-Eye Moody out of retirement, which means he's reading the signs, even if no one else is.  
_**  
"What signs?" they all said to Sirius.

"I DON'T KNOW!" he shouted. "I'm here now - that's me in, like, twenty years time! I don't know what they're talking about so don't ask me for all the answers!"  
**  
: _I'll be in touch soon. My best to Ron and Hermione. Keep your eyes open, Harry.  
_  
: _Sirius_**"I'm glad you're coming up, at least, mate," said James, clapping Sirius on the back, "I just hope you don't get caught or anything."

"I'm sure Dumbledore will be helping me in some way or another," said Sirius.

**: Harry looked up at Ron and Hermione, who stared back at him.**

: "He's flying north?" Hermione whispered. "He's coming _back_?" "What's wrong with that?" said Sirius hotly.  
**   
: "Dumbledore's reading what signs?" said Ron, looking perplexed. "Harry - what's up?" **

: For Harry had just hit himself in the forehead with his fist, jolting Hedwig out of his lap.

: "I shouldn't've told him," Harry said furiously.  
"Yes you should've," said James sternly, "He's there to help you!"

Sirius looked surprised at this reaction, for he thought Harry would pleased to know that he would be coming back up.**: "What are you on about?" said Ron, in surprise.**

: "It's made him think he's got to come back!" said Harry, now slamming his fist on the table so that Hedwig landed on the back of Ron's chair, hooting indignantly. "Coming back because he thinks I'm in trouble! And there's nothing wrong with me!  
  
"Yes, but if your scar is one of many things, Harry, then obviously Sirius thinks something is wrong," said Remus.**: And I haven't got anything for you," Harry snapped at Hedwig, who was clicking her beak expectantly, "you'll have to go up to the Owlery if you want food." **"Harry," said Lily angrily, "there's no reason to take all this out on Hedwig!" **: Hedwig gave him an extremely offended look and took off for the open window, cuffing him around the head with her outstretched wing as she went.  
**  
"And there's no need for you to resort to violence, Hedwig!" snapped Lily.**: "Harry," Hermione began, in a pacifying sort of voice.**

: "I'm going to bed," said Harry shortly. "see you in the morning." 

: Upstairs in the dormitory he pulled on his pyjamas and got into his four-poster, but he didn't feel remotely tired.

: If Sirius came back and got caught, it would he his, Harry's fault. Why hadn't he kept his mouth shut? A few seconds' pain and he'd had to blab ... if he'd just had the sense to keep it to himself ...  
  
"You did entirely the right thing, Harry," said James sternly. "You were worried and you told a trust-worthy adult!"

"Why's he so upset anyway?" said Remus, "He asked for help and he's getting it?"

"He's not really that used to adults helping him, though," said Lily. "Maybe he feels bad ..."**: He heard Ron come up into the dormitory a short while later, but did not speak to him. For a long time, Harry lay staring up at the dark canopy of his bed. The dormitory was completely silent, and, had he been less preoccupied, Harry would have realised that the absence of Neville's usual snores meant that he was not the only one lying awake.**

"Aww ... Neville can't sleep either," said Lily sadly.

"Must have those curses on his mind again," said James sympathetically. "That's the end of that chapter as well."

He held out the book, and Remus took it.


	15. Chapter 15

**Disclaimer: Not mine.**

**Beta: loonygrl90**

**A/N: Sorry it's taking so long but finals are coming and I have to study. Thank you all for your wonderful reviews. For those who have asked. Yes I type most of the chapters. I use to scan them on my computer but the thing made too many mistakes. I still scan some if my scanner isn't being too temperamental. And yes some of the characters are based on some of my friends. Specially Sirius and Lily. Also, some of you have said the Marauders could not have possibly said some of the things I wrote. Just to let you know, some of my friends are huge HP fans and we used to get together and read the books aloud sometimes( I know pathetic that we don't have anywhere to go on the weekend) and some of the comments are straight from my friends mouths. Also, after I finish book 4, things will start to act up. More action less reading. Thanks again and enjoy! **

**:CHAPTER FIFTEEN**

: BEAUXBATONS AND DURMSTRANG

: Early next morning, Harry woke with a plan fully formed in his mind, as though his sleeping brain had been working on it all night. He got up, dressed in the pale dawn light, left the dormitory without waking Ron and went back down to the deserted common room. Here he took a piece of parchment from the table upon which his Divination homework still lay, and wrote the following letter: : _Dear Sirius,_ James frowned.

"What?" asked Lily.

"He's gonna try and stop Sirius from coming back," he said.

"But he's not gonna stop me from looking after him, is he?" said Sirius, with a grin on his face. "I mean, a teacher's never stopped me from pranking, have they?"

"True," said James, also grinning.**: _I reckon I just imagined my scar hurting, I was half-asleep when I wrote to you last time. There's no point coming back, everything's fine here. Don't worry about me, my head feels completely normal.  
_  
: _Harry_**"My son has just lied to you, Sirius," said James.

"Yes, but he's only trying to help," said Remus fairly.**: He then climbed out of the portrait hole, up through the silent castle (held up only briefly by Peeves, who tried to overturn a large vase on him halfway along the fourth-floor corridor), finally arriving at the Owlery, which was situated at the top of West Tower.**

: The Owlery was a circular stone room; rather cold and draughty, because none of the widows had glass in them. The floor was entirely covered in straw, owl droppings and the regurgitated skeletons of mice and voles. Hundreds upon hundreds of owls of every breed imaginable were nestled here on perches that rose right up to the top of the tower, nearly all of them asleep, though here and there a round amber eye glared at Harry.

Hedwig's obviously still in a mood with him," said Remus.

**: He spotted Hedwig nestled between a barn owl and a tawny, and hurried over to her, sliding a little on the dropping-strewn floor.**

: It took him a little while to persuade her to wake up and then to look at him as she kept shuffling around on her perch, showing him her tail. She was evidently still furious about his lack of gratitude the previous night. In the end, it was Harry suggesting she might be too tired, and that perhaps he would ask Ron to borrow Pigwidgeon, that made her stick out her leg and allow him to tie the letter to it.  
  
They all burst out laughing.

"What a snobby, huffy owl!" said Lily, grinning.

"Owls are so much like people," said Sirius, giggling.  
**   
: "Just find him, all right?" Harry said, stroking her back as he carried her on his arm to one of the holes in the wall. "Before the Dementors do."**

: She nipped his finger, perhaps rather harder than she would ordinarily have done, but hooted softly in a reassuring sort of way all the same.

"Forgiven, do you think? No one can stay mad at a Potter for too long." said James, smiling up at the rest of them.

They all grinned back at him except for Lily who made an exasperated sound and glared at him.  
**   
: Then she spread her wings and too off into the sunrise. Harry watched her out of sight with the familiar feeling of unease back in his stomach. He had been so sure that Sirius' reply would alleviate his worries rather than increasing them.**"Sorry, Harry, but I'd rather be there, where I can get to you if something should happen," said Sirius, half apologetically, half reassuringly.

**: "That was a _lie_, Harry," said Hermione sharply over breakfast, when he told her and Ron what he had done. "You _didn't_ imagine your scar hurting and you know it."**

: "So what?" said Harry. "He's not going back to Azkaban because of me.""But I won't," said Sirius. "I'm a master of disguise!"

"Yes, but Harry doesn't really know you that well, does he?" said James fairly.  
**   
: "Drop it," said Ron sharply to Hermione, as she opened her mouth to argue some more, and for once, Hermione heeded him, and fell silent.**"My God," said Remus in surprise.**: Harry did his best not to worry about Sirius over the next couple of weeks. True, he could not stop himself looking anxiously around every morning when the post owls arrived, nor, late at night before he went to sleep, prevent himself seeing horrible visions of Sirius, cornered by Dementors down some dark London street, but between times he tried to keep his mind off his godfather. He wished he still had Quidditch to distract him; nothing worked so well on a troubled mind as a good, hard training session. On the other hand, their lessons were becoming more difficult and demanding than ever before, particularly Defence Against the Dark Arts.**"Well, Moody's cool, but paranoid," said James. "He'l have you all trained Aurors if he has his way, I'd bet!" **: To their surprise, Professor Moody had announced that he would be putting the Imperius curse on each of them in turn, to demonstrate its power and to see whether they could resist its effects.  
**  
The boys all sat up suddenly and, with envious looks on their faces, awe etched in every tone of their hushed voices, muttered, "Coooooooool!"

"But - But ... It's illegal ... isn't it? We were taught that it was illegal," said Lily in shock.

"Moody told them that as well," said Remus.

"It'd be good to know what it feels like before someone does it to you for real, though," said James.

"What? Are you planning to be controlled by the Imperius curse?" said Lily sceptically.

"No - which is why it's a good idea for them to be shown what it's like."   
**   
: "But - but you said it's illegal, Professor," said Hermione uncertainly, as Moody cleared away the desks with a sweep of his wand, leaving a large clear space in the middle of the room. "You said - to use it against another human was -" **

: "Dumbledore wants you taught what it feels like," said Moody, "Actually, now I think about it," said Lily thoughtfully, "it is a good idea for them to be exposed to it. I mean, if Voldemort was quite strong earlier on, he might become stronger, and they'll need to be prepared for that." **: his magical eye swivelling onto Hermione and fixing her with an eerie, unblinking stare. "If you'd rather learn the hard way - when someone's putting it on you so they can control you completely - fine by me. You're excused. Off you go."  
**  
"I'd love to see the look on Hermione's face now," said Remus with a grin.

**: He pointed a gnarled finger towards the door. Hermione went very pink, and muttered something about not meaning that she wanted to leave. Harry and Ron grinned at each other. They knew Hermione would rather eat bubotuber puss than miss such an important lesson.**

: Moody began to choose students forward in turn and put the Imperius curse on them. Harry watched as, one by one, his classmates did the most extraordinary things under its influence. Dean Thomas hopped three times around the room, singing the national anthem. Lavender Brown imitated a squirrel. Neville performed a series of quite astonishing gymnastics he would certainly not have been capable of in his normal state. Not one of them seemed to be able to fight the curse off, and each of them recovered only when Moody had removed it.  
  
"But they're only kids," said Remus, frowning, "what does he expect?"**: "Potter," Moody growled, "you next."**James sat up. Glad he was that Harry was getting such intense teaching, he was still nervous that a Dark curse was being performed in his son.**: Harry moved forward into the middle of the classroom, into the space that Moody had cleared of desks. Moody raised his wand, pointed it at Harry, and said, "_Imperio._"**

: It was the most wonderful feeling. Harry felt a floating sensation as every thought and worry in his head was wiped gently away, leaving nothing but a vague, untraceable happiness. He stood there feeling immensely relaxed, only dimly aware of everyone watching him.

: And then he heard Mad-Eye Moody's voice, echoing in some distant chamber of his empty brain: _Jump onto the desk ... jump onto the desk ..._

: Harry bent his knees obediently, preparing to spring.

: _Jump onto the desk ..._ "Don't do it, Harry," said Sirius, "he's just messing with your mind!"  
**  
: Why, though?**

: Another voice had awoken in the back of his brain. Stupid thing to do, really, said the voice.

: _Jump onto the desk ..._

: No, I don't think I will, thanks, said the other voice, a little more firmly ... no, I don't really want to ... 

"That's it, Harry!" said James, sounding extremely happy and proud.  
**  
: _Jump! NOW!  
_  
: The next thing Harry felt was considerable pain. He had both jumped and tried to prevent himself from jumping - the result was that he'd smashed headlong into the desk, knocking it over, and, by the feeling in his legs, fractured both his kneecaps.**

: "Now, _that's_ more like it!" growled Moody's voice, and suddenly Harry felt the empty, echoing feeling in his head disappear. He remembered exactly what was happening, and the pain in his knees seemed to double.

: "Look at that, you lot ... Potter fought! He fought it, and he damn near beat it! "Well done, son!" said James, clapping. "Knew you had it in you!"

"Damn straight!" said Sirius.**: We'll try that again, Potter, and the rest of you, pay attention - watch his eyes, that's where you see it - very good, Potter, very good indeed! They'll have trouble controlling _you_!" **"Good," said James, "I'm not having any stinking Death Eater control my boy for their dirty deeds!"

**: "The way he talks," Harry muttered, as he hobbled out of the Defence Against the Dark Arts class an hour later (Moody had insisted on putting Harry through his paces four times in a row, until Harry could throw the curse off entirely), "you'd think we were all going to be attacked any second."**

: "Yeah, I know," said Ron, who was skipping on every alternate step. He had much more difficulty with the curse than Harry, though Moody assured him the effects would have worn off by lunchtime. "Talk about paranoid ..." Ron glanced nervously over his shoulders to check that Moody was definitely out of earshot, and went on, "No wonder they were glad to get shot of him at the Ministry, did you hear him telling Seamus what he did to that witch who shouted 'boo' behind him on April Fool's Day? And we're supposed to read up on resisting the Imperius curse with everything else we've got to do?""Oh, yeah, they'll be doing their O. W. Ls next year, won't they?" said James.

"Lucky them," muttered Lily darkly.**: All the fourth-years had noticed a definite increase in the amount of work they were required to do this term. Professor McGonagall explained why, when the class gave a particularly loud groan at the amount of Transfiguration homework she had set.**

: "You are now entering a most important phase of your magical education!" she told them, her eyes glinting dangerously behind her square spectacles. "Your Ordinary Wizarding Levels are drawing closer -"

: "We don't take O.W.Ls 'til fifth year!" said Dean Thomas indignantly."Respect, man," said James. "Answering McGonagall back. Must be a brave soul to do such a thing."  
**   
: "Maybe not, Thomas, but believe me, you need all the preparation you can get! Miss Granger remains the only person in this class who has managed to turn a hedgehog into a satisfactory pincushion. I might remind you that _your_ pincushion, Thomas, still curls up in fright if anyone approaches it with a pin!"  
**  
"Charming," said Sirius angrily.

"Yeah, she's just made a complete idiot of him for voicing what everyone was thinking!" said Remus.

**: Hermione, who had turned rather pink again, seemed to be trying not to look too pleased with herself.**

: Harry and Ron were deeply amused when Professor Trelawney told them that they had received top marks for their homework in their next Divination class. She read out large portions of their predictions, commending them for their unflinching acceptance of the horrors in store for them - but they were less amused when she asked them to do the same thing for the month after next; both of them were running out of ideas for catastrophes."I wouldn't ever run out of ideas ... just send me an owl for help, Harry," said Sirius.

Remus shook his head, obviously not wanting to think of the kinds of catastrophes that were now going through Sirius' head.

**: Meanwhile Professor Binns, the ghost who taught History of Magic, had them writing weekly essays on the Goblin Rebellions of the eighteenth century. Professor Snape was forcing them to research antidotes. They took this seriously, as he had hinted that he might be poisoning one of them before Christmas to see if their antidote worked.**

"No surprise there," muttered Sirius.  
**  
Professor Flitwick had asked them to read three extra books in preparation for their lesson on Summoning Charms.**

: Even Hagrid was adding to their workload. The Blast-Ended Skrewts were growing at a remarkable pace, given that nobody had yet discovered what they ate. Hagrid was delighted and, as part of their "project", suggested that they come down to his hut on alternate evenings to observe the Skrewts and make notes on their extraordinary behaviour.

: "I will not," said Draco Malfoy flatly, when Hagrid had proposed this with the air of Father Christmas pulling an extra large toy out of his sack. "I see enough of these foul things during lessons, thanks."

: Hagrid's smile faded from his face."That's it, Hagrid," said Sirius, brandishing a fist at the book, as though Malfoy was there in front of him, "you show the little git who's boss!" **: "Yeh'll do wha' yer told," he growled, "or I'll be takin' a leaf outta Professor Moody's book ... I hear yeh made a good ferret, Malfoy."**They all burst out laughing.**: The Gryffindors roared with laughter. Malfoy flushed with anger, but apparently the memory of Moody's punishment was still sufficiently painful to stop him retorting. Harry, Ron and Hermione returned to the castle at the end of the lesson in high spirits; seeing Hagrid put down Malfoy was particularly satisfying, especially because Malfoy had done his very best to get Hagrid sacked the previous year.**"Yes, the little git," said James, "so take that, Malfoy!"**: When they arrived at the Entrance Hall, they found themselves unable to proceed owing to the large crowd of students congregated there, all milling around a large sign which had been erected at the foot of the marble staircase. Ron, the tallest of the three, stood on tiptoe to see over the heads in front of them and read the sign aloud to the other two.**

: TRIWIZARD TOURNAMENT

: _The delegations from Beauxbatons and Durmstrang will be arriving at 6 o'clock on Friday 30th October. Lessons will end half an hour early -_ : "Brilliant!" said Harry. "It's Potions last thing on Friday!  
  
They all cheered.

"Woo hoo! No Snape!" said James and Sirius together. **: Snape won't have time to poison us all!" **"There's a bonus in this tournament, after all," said Sirius, grinning.**: _Students will return their bags and books to their dormitories and assemble in front of the castle to greet our guests before the Welcoming Feast._: "Only a week away!" said Ernie Macmillan of Hufflepuff, emerging from the crowd, his eyes gleaming. "I wonder if Cedric knows? Think I'll go and tell him ..."**

: "Cedric?" said Ron blankly, as Ernie hurried off."Yeah, whose this guy?" said James.

"Isn't he that guy they were with at the World Cup?" said Lily.

"Oh yes," said Sirius darkly, "the guy who beat Gryffindor when Harry fell off his broom."

**: "Diggory," said Harry. "He must be entering the Tournament."**

: "That idiot, Hogwarts champion?" said Ron, as they pushed their way through the chattering crowd towards the staircase.

: "He's not an idiot, you just don't like him because he beat Gryffindor at Quidditch," said Hermione.

"Which is a good enough reason for me," said James.

"And me," agreed Sirius.

Lily rolled her eyes.**: "I've heard he's a really good student - _and_ he's a Prefect."**

: She spoke as though this settled the matter."Well it does," said Remus smugly.

"Shut up, goody two-shoes!" said Sirius.

"He's right, though," said James, grinning at Remus. "I mean, I'm obviously better, being Head Boy, and all."

"Oh, get a hold of yourselves before your ego's crush the rest of your bodies!" said Lily, she grinned as she shook her head.  
**   
: "You only like him because he's _handsome_," said Ron scathingly.**"I'm handsome as well," said James, "This Diggory character sounds like a reincarnation of me!"

Lily threw a large book at him.

**: "Excuse me, I don't like people just because they're handsome!" said Hermione indignantly.**"Oh, yeah, right," muttered Lily.**: Ron gave a loud false cough, which sounded oddly like "Lockhart!"**They all burst out laughing.  
**  
: The appearance of the sign in the Entrance Hall had a marked effect upon the inhabitants of the castle. During the following week, there seemed to be only one topic of conversation, no matter where Harry went: the Triwizard Tournament. Rumours were flying from student to student like highly contagious germs: who was going to try for Hogwarts champion, what the Tournament would involve, how the students from Beauxbatons and Durmstrang differed from themselves.**"What, apart from being foreign?" said Remus.**: Harry noticed, too, that the castle seemed to be undergoing an extra-thorough cleaning. Several grimy portraits had been scrubbed, much to the displeasure of their subjects, who sat huddled in their frames muttering darkly and wincing as they felt their raw pink faces. The suits of armour were suddenly gleaming and moving without squeaking, and Argus Filch, the caretaker, was behaving so ferociously to any student who forgot to wipe their shoes that he terrified a pair of first-year girls into hysterics.**"What a pair of wimps," said James in disgust.

**: Other members of staff seemed oddly tense, too.**The boys all smiled hopefully.

"McGonagall probably won't be, she's too calm and collected," said Lily.

They all looked at her mutinously, as though she was ruining the best thoughts of their lives.

**: "Longbottom, kindly do _not_ reveal that you can't even perform a simple Switching Spell in front of anyone from Durmstrang!" Professor McGonagall barked at the end of one particularly difficult lesson, **The boys all looked at Lily grinning smugly.

"Whatever," she muttered.**: during which Neville had accidentally transplanted his own ears into a cactus.**

"That's a good one," said Sirius, and he got out his list and wrote on it.

**: When they went down to breakfast on the morning of the thirteenth of October, they found that the Great Hall had been decorated overnight. Enormous silk banners hung from the walls, each of them representing a Hogwarts House - red with a gold lion for Gryffindor,   
**  
They all cheered and Sirius distinctly said, "By far the best because I'm in it!" **: blue with a bronze eagle for Ravenclaw, yellow with a black badger for Hufflepuff, and green with a silver serpent for Slytherin.**They all booed and hissed.**: Behind the teachers table, the largest banner of all bore the Hogwarts coat of arms: lion, eagle, badger and snake united around a large letter "H". **

"Well, it would be united if they got rid of the serpent," muttered Sirius.

**: Harry, Ron and Hermione spotted Fred and George at the Gryffindor table. Once again, and most unusually, they were sitting apart from everyone else and conversing in low voices. Ron led the way over to them.**

: "It's a bummer all right," George was saying gloomily to Fred. "But if he won't talk to us in person, we'll have to send him the letter after all. Or we'll stuff it into his hands, he can't avoid us for ever." "Wonder what they're up to?" said James, frowning in thought.

"Dunno, but I don't like the sound of it," said Sirius. "Sounds like someone's cheated them out of something ..."  
**   
: "Who's avoiding you?" said Ron, sitting down next to them.**

: "Wish you would," said Fred, looking irritated at the interruption.

: "What's a bummer?" Ron asked George.

: "Having a nosy git like you for a brother," said George.  
  
"Charming," said Lily, raising her eyebrows.

"What, and you aren't like that with your sister?" said Sirius.

"Well ... yes, but Petunia's completely different!" **: "You two got any ideas on the Triwizard Tournament yet?" Harry asked. "Thought any more about trying to enter?" **"Now this is more like it!" said James, his eyes brightening up.  
**  
: "I asked McGonagall how the champions are chosen but she wasn't telling," said George bitterly.**"I bet she wasn't," said Sirius angrily.

"What else would you expect from McGonagall?" said James, also sounding extremely disappointed.**: "She just told me to shut up and get on with Transfiguring my racoon."  
**  
"I bet she did," said James and Sirius together.  
**   
: "Wonder what the tasks are going to be?" said Ron thoughtfully. "You know, I bet we could do them, Harry, we've done dangerous stuff before ..."**

: "Not in front of a panel of judges, you haven't," said Fred. "McGonagall says the champions get awarded points according to how well they've done in the tasks.": "Who are the judges?" Harry asked.

: "Well, the Heads of the participating schools are always on the panel," said Hermione, and everyone looked around at her, rather surprised, "because all three of them were injured during the Tournament of 1792, when a cockatrice the champions were supposed to be catching went of the rampage.""But surely that means that each judge will just be biased on their own school champion?" said Lily.

"Yeah, but there's three judges in all, so they all won't be biased," said James.

**: She noticed them all looking at her and said, with her usual air of impatience that nobody else had read all the books she had, "It's all in _Hogwarts: A History_. Though, of course, that book's not _entirely_ reliable. 'A _Revised_ History of Hogwarts' would be a more accurate title Or 'A Highly Biased and _Selective_ History of Hogwarts, Which Glosses Over the Nastier Aspects of the School'." **"She's taking this house-elf thing way too seriously," said James.**: "What are you on about?" said Ron, though Harry thought he knew what was coming.**

: "_House-elves!_" said Hermione loudly and proving Harry right. "Not once, in over a thousand pages, does _Hogwarts: A History_ mention that we are all colluding in the oppression of a hundred slaves!"

: Harry shook his head, and applied himself to his scrambled eggs. His and Ron's lack of enthusiasm had done nothing whatsoever to curb Hermione's determination to pursue justice for house-elves. True, both of them had paid the two Sickles for a S.P.E.W. badge, but they had only done it to keep her quiet."I don't think she'll stop there if you've given her money," said Remus, smiling.  
**  
: Their Sickles had been wasted, however; if anything, they seemed to have made Hermione more vociferous. She had been badgering Harry and Ron ever since, firstly to wear the badges, then to persuade others to do the same, and she had also taken to rattling around the Gryffindor common room every evening, cornering people and shaking the collecting tin under their noses.  
**  
"Hermione, you're going a very good way about getting yourself hated," said Sirius.

"Yes, annoying people won't get you support, you know," said Lily.

**: "You do realise that your sheets are changed, your fires lit, your classrooms cleaned and your food cooked by a group of magical creatures who are unpaid and enslaved?" she kept saying fiercely.**

: Some people, like Neville, had paid up just to stop Hermione glowering at them. A few seemed mildly interested in what she had to say, but were reluctant to take a more active role in campaigning. Many regarded the whole thing as a joke.  
  
"Yep - I thought that would be the general reaction," said Lily, smiling.

**: Ron now rolled his eyes at the ceiling, which was flooding them all in autumn sunlight, and Fred became extremely interested in his bacon (both twins had refused to buy a S.P.E.W badge). George, however, leant towards Hermione.**

: "Listen, have you ever been down in the kitchens, Hermione?" 

: "No, of course not," said Hermione curtly, "I hardly think students are supposed to -"  
  
"Well, they're not supposed to go there, but that's never stopped us," said James, looking at Remus and Sirius and grinning.**: "Well, we have," said George, indicating Fred, "loads of times, to nick food. And we've met them, and they're _happy_. They think they've got the best job in the world -"**

: "That's because they're uneducated and brainwashed!" Hermione began hotly, but her next few words were drowned by the sudden whooshing noise from overhead which announced the arrival of the post owls. Harry looked up at once, and saw Hedwig soaring towards him. Hermione stopped talking abruptly; she and Ron watching Hedwig anxiously, as she fluttered down onto Harry's shoulder, folded her wings and held out her leg wearily.  
  
"Excellent!" said James. "You must've replied straight away from somewhere nearer!"   
Sirius smiled.

**: Harry pulled off Sirius' reply and offered Hedwig his bacon rinds, which she ate gratefully. Then, checking that Fred and George were safely immersed in further discussions about the Triwizard Tournament, Harry read out Sirius' letter in a whisper to Ron and Hermione.**"I hope you haven't taken Harry seriously, Padfoot," said James anxiously.

"Why?" said Sirius, "I mean, I want to be there with him, but he's in no immediate danger while Dumbledore's there, is he?"

"True, but it'd be a comfort to have my best mate there with my boy all the same," said James.**: _Nice try, Harry.  
_  
: _I'm back in the country and well hidden. I want you to keep me posted on everything that's going on at Hogwarts. Don't use Hedwig, keep changing owls, and don't worry about me, just watch out for yourself. Don't forget what I said about your scar.  
_  
: _Sirius_**"Excellent!" said James, clapping Sirius on the back happily.

**: "Why d'you have to keep changing owls?" Ron asked in a low voice.**

: "Hedwig'll attract too much attention," said Hermione at once. "She stands out. A snowy owl that keeps returning to wherever he's hiding ... I mean, they're not native birds, are they?"

: Harry rolled up the letter and slipped it inside his robes, wondering whether he felt more or less worried than before. He supposed that Sirius managing to get back without being caught was something. He couldn't deny, either, that the idea that Sirius was much nearer was reassuring; at least he wouldn't have to wait so long for a response every time he wrote."You see, Harry," said James happily, "having Sirius nearer is an advantage in every way! He's a Marauder! No one'll ever find him! He's way too good at pranking people!"

"Damn straight!" said Sirius proudly.**: "Thanks, Hedwig," he said, stroking her. She hooted sleepily, dipped her beak gratefully into his goblet of orange juice, then took off again, clearly desperate for a good long sleep in the Owlery.**

: There was a pleasant feeling of anticipation in the air that day. Nobody was very attentive in lessons, being much more interested in the arrival that evening of the people from Beauxbatons and Durmstrang; even Potions was more bearable than usual, as it was half an hour shorter."Any time with Snape is unbearable," muttered James.

"Then why do you spend so much time with him, then?" said Lily.

"What!" said James and Sirius in outrage.

"We never spend time with that moron!" said James angrily.

"You're always with him - picking on him, yes, but you're nevertheless with him!"

James opened his mouth to argue, but he realised she was absolutely right, and closed his mouth again muttering furiously about Snape and clever women.  
**   
: When the bell rang early, Harry, Ron and Hermione hurried up to Gryffindor Tower, deposited their bags and books as they had been instructed on their cloaks and rushed back downstairs into the Entrance Hall.**

: The Heads of Houses were ordering their students into lines.

: "Weasley, straighten your hat," Professor McGonagall snapped at Ron. "Miss Patil, take that ridiculous thing out of your hair."

: Parvati scowled and removed a large ornamental butterfly from the end of her plait.They all started to laugh.

"Does McGonagall have any sense of fashion that doesn't involve green or tartan?" asked Lily incredulously.

"I dunno - you're the girl," said James, looking alarmed at being asked about fashion among girls.

**: "Follow me, please," said Professor McGonagall, "first-years in front ... no pushing ..."   
**  
"That's normally our cue to start causing mayhem," said Sirius, grinning.

"Good times," said James dreamily.  
**   
: They filed down the front steps and lined up in front of the castle. It was a cold, clear evening; dusk was falling and a pale, transparent-looking moon was already shining over the Forbidden Forest. Harry, standing between Ron and Hermione in the fourth row from the front, saw Dennis Creevey positively shivering with anticipation among the other first-years.**"Aww, bless him," cooed Lily, while the boys scowled.  
**  
: "Nearly six," said Ron, checking his watch and then staring down the drive which led to the front gates. "How d'you reckon they're coming? The train?" **

: "I doubt it," said Hermione.  
  
"Why? Sounds perfectly sensible to me?" said Lily, looking at the others.

**: "How, then? Broomsticks?" Harry suggested, looking up at the starry sky.**"I like that idea!" said James, his eyes lighting up as usual at any reference to Quidditch, whether it be from the mention of a broomstick to a patch of grass.**: "I don't think so ... not from that far away ..."**

: "A Portkey?" Ron suggested. "Or they could Apparate - maybe they're allowed to do it under seventeen wherever they come from?"

: "You can't Apparate inside the Hogwarts grounds, how often do I have to tell you?" said Hermione impatiently."OK then, Miss Know-It-All, you come up with an idea!" said Lily huffily.**: They scanned the darkening grounds excitedly, but nothing was moving; everything was still, silent and quite as usual. Harry was starting to feel cold. He wished they'd hurry up ...   
**  
"So do I ... this is getting boring," yawned Sirius, leaning back in his chair.

"I hope my boy doesn't catch anything!" said Lily.  
**   
: maybe the foreign students were preparing a dramatic entrance ... he remembered what Mr Weasley had said back on the campsite before the Quidditch World Cup - "Always the same, we can't resist showing off when we get together ..."   
**  
"Imagine if they came in on flying dragons or on moving trees, or something!" said James excitedly.

"They'll probably use a Portkey, or something boring like that," said Sirius.

**: And then Dumbledore called out from the back row, where he stood with the other teachers - "Aha! Unless I am very much mistaken, the delegation from Beauxbatons approaches!"   
**  
"About time!" said Sirius impatiently, sitting up.**: "Where?" said many students eagerly, looking in different directions.**

: "_There!_" yelled a sixth-year, pointing over the Forest."Brilliant, they _are_ coming on brooms!" said James excitedly.  
**   
: Something large, much larger than a broomstick - or, indeed, a hundred broomsticks - was hurtling across the deep blue sky towards the castle, growing larger all the time.**

: "It's a dragon!" shrieked one of the first-years, losing her head completely.

: "Don't be stupid ... it's a flying house!" said Dennis Creevey.

"What, and that's not stupid?" said James sarcastically.**: Dennis's guess was closer ... **James looked at the book stonily.**: As the gigantic black shape skimmed over the treetops of the Forbidden Forest, and the lights shining from the castle windows hit it, they saw a gigantic, powder-blue, horse-drawn carriage, the size of a large house, soaring towards them, pulled through the air by dozen winged horses, all palominos, and each the size of an elephant.  
**  
"Cooooool," they all chorused in awe.

**: The front three rows of students drew back as the carriage hurtled ever lower, coming in to land at a tremendous speed - then, with an almighty crash that made Neville jump backwards onto a Slytherin fifth-years's foot - the horses' hooves, larger than dinner plates, hit the ground. A second later, the carriage landed too, bouncing upon its vast wheels, while the golden horses tossed their enormous heads and rolled large, fiery red eyes.**

: Harry just had time to see that the door if the carriage bore a coat of arms (two crossed, golden wands, each emitting three stars) before it opened.

: A boy in pale blue robes jumped down from the carriage, bend forwards, fumbled for a moment with something on the carriage floor and unfolded a set of golden steps. He sprang back respectfully. Then Harry saw a shining, high-heeled black shoe emerging from the inside of the carriage - a shoe the size of a child's sled - followed, almost immediately, by the largest woman he had ever seen in his life. The size of the carriage, and of the horses was immediately explained. A few people gasped."This woman must be related to Hagrid by the sounds of things," said James.

"Unless they're not related at all, and there are just loads of people like Hagrid, and we just don't know what they are," said Remus.  
**  
: Harry had only ever seen one person as large as this woman in his life, and that was Hagrid; he doubted whether there was an inch difference in their heights. Yet somehow - maybe simply because he was used to Hagrid - this woman (now at the foot of the steps, and looking around at the waiting, wide-eyed crowd) seemed even more unnaturally large. As she stepped into the light flooding from the Entrance Hall, she was revealed to have a handsome, olive-skinned face, large, black, liquid-looking eyes and a rather beaky nose. Her hair was drawn back in a shining knob at the base of her neck. She was dressed from head to foot in black satin, and many magnificent opals gleamed at her throat and on her thick fingers.**

"She seems very authoritative," said Lily, impressed.

James and Sirius scowled.

**: Dumbledore started to clap; the students, following his lead, broke into applause too, many of them standing on tiptoe, the better to look at this woman.**

: Her face relaxed into a gracious smile, and she walked forwards towards Dumbledore, extending a glittering hand. Dumbledore, though tall himself, had barely to bend to kiss it."Dumbledore's quite the gentleman," giggled Lily.

The boys looked at her with arrested looks on their faces.  
**  
: "My dear Madame Maxime," he said. "Welcome to Hogwarts."**

: "Dumbly-dorr," said Madame Maxime, in a deep voice. "I 'ope I find you well?"

: "In excellent form, I thank you," said Dumbledore.

: "My pupils," said Madame Maxime, waving one of her enormous hands carelessly behind her.

: Harry, whose attention had been focused completely upon Madame Maxime, now noticed that around a dozen boys and girls - all, by the look of them, in their late teens - had emerged from the carriage and were now standing behind Madame Maxime. They were shivering, which was unsurprising, given that their robes seemed to be made of fine silk, and none of them were wearing cloaks.  
  
"Well, what do they expect? It's colder in Britain than it is in other parts of Europe!" said Lily impatiently.**: A few of them had wrapped scarves and shawls around their heads. From what Harry could see of their faces (they were standing in Madame Maxime's enormous shadow), they were staring up at Hogwarts with apprehensive looks on their faces.  
**  
"Charming," they all muttered moodily.**: "'As Karkaroff arrived yet?" Madame Maxime asked.**

: "He should be here any moment," said Dumbledore. "Would you like to wait here and greet him or would you prefer to step inside and warm up a trifle?"

"Trifle - where?" said Sirius, sitting up excitedly, his eyes brightening.

"Over there, Sirius," said James, pointing through his bedroom door, which had just opened.

Sirius rushed out, only to come back in with his face and hair sopping wet and the remains of a water-bomb on his shoulder. He looked at James stonily, while James roared with laughter with Lily and Remus.

"You know I'll get you back in some way, Prongs!" Sirius promised.

"I know ... but it's worth it for the look on your face, mate!" said James, tucking his wand away and wiping tears from his eyes.**: "Warm up, I think," said Madame Maxime. "But ze 'orses -"**

: "Our Care of Magical Creatures teacher will be delighted to take care of them," said Dumbledore, "the moment he has returned from dealing with a slight situation which has arisen with some of his other - er - charges.""Those scorpion things with poisonous tails," said Lily expectantly.  
**  
: "Skrewts," Ron muttered to Harry, grinning.**

: "My steeds require - er - forceful 'andling," said Madame Maxime, looking as though she doubted whether any Care of Magical Creatures teacher at Hogwarts could be up to the job. "Zey are very strong ..." 

: "I assure you that Hagrid will be well up to the job," said Dumbledore, smiling."Damn straight!" they all said forcefully.**: "Very well," said Madame Maxime, bowing slightly, "will you please inform zis 'Agrid zat ze 'orses drink only single-malt whisky?"**

: "It will be attended to," said Dumbledore, also bowing.  
  
"These horses are expensively pampered, aren't they?" said Remus, raising his eyebrows impressively.

The others nodded.

**: "Come," said Madame Maxime imperiously to her students, and the Hogwarts crowd parted to allow her and her students to pass up the stone steps.**

: "How big d'you reckon Durmstrang's horses are going to be?" Seamus Finnigan said, leaning around Lavender and Parvati to address Harry and Ron.

: "Well, if they're any bigger than this lot, even Hagrid won't be able to handle them," said Harry. "That's if he hasn't been attacked by his Skrewts. Wonder what's up with them?"

: "Maybe they've escaped," said Ron hopefully.

: "Oh, don't say that," said Hermione, with a shudder. "Imagine that lot loose in the grounds ..."

: They stood, shivering slightly now, waiting for the Durmstrang party to arrive. Most people were gazing hopefully up at the sky. For a few minutes, the silence was only broken by Madame Maxime's huge horses snorting and stamping. But then - 

"About time!" muttered Sirius again, agitated.**: "Can you hear something?" said Ron suddenly.**

: Harry listened; a loud and oddly eerie noise was drifting towards them from out of the darkness; a muffled rumbling and sucking sound, as though an immense vacuum cleaner was moving along a river-bed ...   
  
"Sounds weird, whatever it is," said James.

"I hope it's not those Skrewts," muttered Lily.**: "The lake!" yelled Lee Jordan, pointing down at it. "Look at the lake!"**

: From their position at the top of the lawns overlooking the grounds, they had a clear view of the smooth black surface of the water - except that the surface was suddenly not smooth at all. Some disturbance was taking place deep in the centre; great bubbles were forming on the surface, waves were now washing over the muddy banks - and then, out in the very middle of the lake, a whirlpool appeared, as if a giant plug had just been pulled out of the lake's floor ... 

: What seemed to be a long, black pole began to rise slowly out of the heart of the whirlpool ... and then Harry saw the rigging ... 

: "It's a mast!" he said to Ron and Hermione.  
  
"Cool!" said James and Remus together.

"Well, they've taken their time to get here, why don't they also take their time to rise out of the water!" huffed Sirius impatiently.**: Slowly, magnificently, the ship rose out of the water, gleaming in the moonlight. It had a strangely skeletal look about it, as though it was a resurrected wreck, and the dim, misty lights shimmering at its portholes looked like ghostly eyes. Finally, with a great sloshing noise, the ship emerged entirely, bobbing on the turbulent water, and began to glide towards the bank. A few moments later, they heard the splash of an anchor being thrown down in the shallows, and the thud of a plank being lowered into the bank.  
: People were disembarking; they could see their silhouettes passing the lights in the ship's portholes. All of them, Harry noticed, seemed to be built along the lines of Crabbe and Goyle ...   
**  
"I bet they're real studs among the ladies, then," said Sirius sarcastically.

"Unless the ladies are built like that, too," said James.**: but then, as they drew nearer, walking up the lawns into the light streaming from the Entrance Hall, he saw that their bulk was really due to the fact that they were wearing cloaks of some kind of shaggy, matted fur. But the man who was leading them up to the castle was wearing furs of a different sort; sleek and silver, like his hair.**

: "Dumbledore!" he called heartily, as he walked up the slope. "How are you, my dear fellow, how are you?"

: "Blooming, thank you, Professor Karkaroff," Dumbledore replied.

: Karkaroff had a fruity, unctuous voice; when he stepped into the light pouring from the front doors of the castle, they saw that he was tall and thin like Dumbledore, but his white hair was sort, and his goatee (finishing in a small curl) did not entirely hide his rather weak chin. When he reached Dumbledore, he shook hands with both of his own.

: "Dear old Hogwarts," he said, looking up at the castle and smiling; his teeth were rather yellow, and Harry noticed that his smile did not extend to his eyes, which remained cold and shrewd.  
  
"I know he's only just got here, but I don't think I like that guy," said James darkly.

"I don't like him," said Sirius flatly. "I think his father is a friend of my Dad's ..."

**: "How good it is to be here, how good ... Viktor, come along into the warmth ... you don't mind, Dumbledore? Viktor has a slight head cold ..." **"Viktor" said James, the name stirring in his head. "Not the guy from the Quidditch game, surely?" **: Karkaroff beckoned forwards one of his students. As the boy passed, Harry caught a glimpse of a prominent, curved nose and thick black eyebrows. He didn't need the punch on the arm Ron gave him, or the hiss in his ear, to recognise that profile.**

: "Harry - _it's Krum!_" "It is him - that's the guy who caught the Snitch in the World Cup!" said James excitedly.

"He really must be amazing if he's still at school!"

"That's the end of the chapter," said Remus.

Sirius took the book from him.


	16. Chapter 16

**A/N: Need you ask?**

**Beta: loonygrl90**

**CHAPTER SIXTEEN**

: THE GOBLET OF FIRE  
  
"Cool ... hang on," faltered James. He ducked under Sirius to check the front of the book.

"Yeah - I thought so! It's the name of the book!"

"So?" said Lily. "The other books have had chapters that are the same name as the book."

"Just seems quite early in that the Goblet of Fire is being explained," said James, shrugging.

"Prongs don't complain!" said Sirius.

"Yeah, we might get to know what this Tournament's all about!" said Remus excitedly.

"Anyways, let's hear about the Quidditch guy anyway," said James, his eyes brightening up.**: "I don't believe it!" Ron said in a stunned voice, as the Hogwarts students filed back up the steps behind the party from Durmstrang. "Krum, Harry! _Viktor Krum!_"**

"Ron's a bit excited isn't he?" said Lily grinning.

"That's nothing compared to what he'd be like," Sirius said, pointing at James. **: "For heaven's sake, Ron, he's only a Quidditch player," said Hermione.**

James was looking at the book with a look of disgust on his face, as though Hermione had just uttered a disgusting swear word. "I'll assume that I didn't just hear her say that," he said.

"Well, no, technically, you just heard me say it," said Sirius.

James threw a pillow at him.

**: "_Only a Quidditch player_?" Ron said, looking at her as though he couldn't believe his ears. "Hermione - he's one of the best Seekers in the world! I had no idea he was still at school!"**

: As they re-crossed the Entrance Hall with the rest of the Hogwarts students, heading for the Great Hall, Harry saw Lee Jordan jumping up and down on the soles of his feet to get a better look at the back of Krum's head. Several sixth-year girls were frantically searching their pockets as they walked - "Oh, I don't believe it, I haven't got a single quill on me -" "D'you think he'd sign my hat in lipstick?"  
  
"Oh for God's sake!" said Lily.

"Yeah, OK, I don't think even I would get anyone to sign my hat in lipstick," said James. **: "_Really_," Hermione said loftily, as they passed the girls, now squabbling over the lipstick.**

: "_I'm_ getting his autograph if I can," said Ron, "you haven't got a quill, have you, Harry?"

: "Nope, they're upstairs in my bag," said Harry.

: They walked over to the Gryffindor table and sat down. Ron took care to sit on the side facing the doorway, because Krum and his fellow Durmstrang students were still gathered around it, apparently unsure about where they should sit. The students from Beauxbatons had chosen seats at the Ravenclaw table. They were looking around the Great Hall with glum expressions on their faces. Three of them were still clutching scarves and shawls around their heads.  
  
"It's not that cold at Hogwarts!" said Remus.

"Especially not in the Great Hall!" agreed James.**: "It's not _that_ cold," said Hermione irritably, who was watching them. "Why didn't they bring cloaks?"**

: "Over here! Come and sit over here!" Ron hissed. "Over here! Hermione, budge up, make a space -"

: "What?"

: "Too late," said Ron bitterly.

: Viktor Krum and his fellow Durmstrang students had settled themselves at the Slytherin table.  
  
"I thought they'd go there," said James bitterly.

"Just watch Malfoy suck right up to him!" snarled Sirius.

**: Harry could see Malfoy, Crabbe and Goyle looking very smug about this. As he watched, Malfoy bent forwards to speak to Krum.**

"I bet he has," said Sirius, cracking his knuckles.  
**  
: "Yeah, that's right, smarm up to him, Malfoy," said Ron scathingly. "I bet Krum can see right through him, though ... bet he gets people fawning over him all the time ...  
**  
"Well, what d'you think you're doing?" said Lily, rolling her eyes. **: Where d'you reckon they're going to sleep? We could offer him a space in our dormitory, Harry ... I wouldn't mind giving him my bed, I could kip on a camp-bed."  
**  
"Surely they'll just stay in those things they came with," said Lily. "Like a caravan."

**: Hermione snorted.**

: "They look a lot happier than the Beauxbatons lot," said Harry.

: The Durmstrang students were pulling off their heavy furs and looking up at the starry black ceiling with expressions of interest; a couple of them were picking up the golden plates and goblets and examining them, apparently impressed.

: Up at the staff table, Filch, the caretaker, was adding chairs. He was wearing his mouldy old tail coat in honour of the occasion. Harry was surprised to see that he added four chairs, two on either side of Dumbledore's.

: "But there are only two extra people," Harry said. "Why's Filch putting out four chairs? Who else is coming?"

: "Eh?" said Ron vaguely. He was still staring avidly at Krum.  
  
"That must be so annoying," said James. "Having people stare at you like that. No wonder Harry gets sick of it!"

"I put up with it tolerably," said Sirius lazily.

"Sirius, no one stares at you like that," said Lily.

"Yes they do, the ladies are always staring in awe of me," he said, grinning sweetly.

"In your dreams, maybe, but not in reality."

"Either way works for me!"

**: When all the students had entered the Hall and settled down at their house tables, the staff entered, filing up to the top table and talking their seats. Last in line were Professor Dumbledore, Professor Karkaroff and Madame Maxime. When their Headmistress appeared, the pupils from Beauxbatons leapt to their feet. A few of the Hogwarts students laughed.  
**  
"That's a bit immature of them," said Remus, frowning. "They're just paying a respect to their Headmistress."

**: The Beauxbatons party appeared quite unembarrassed, and did not resume their seats until Madame Maxime had sat down on Dumbledore's left-hand side. Dumbledore, however, remained standing, and a silence fell over the Great Hall.  
**  
"Dumbledore's always so cool when he makes speeches," said James.

"Yeah," said Sirius. "D'you think he stands in front of a mirror and practices them before he makes them publicly?"

"What, he gets up early on the morning he makes a speech and looks in the mirror for hours talking to himself?" said James, grinning at the image. "Maybe ..."

They all chuckled.

**: "Good evening ladies and gentlemen, ghosts and - most particularly - guests," said Dumbledore, beaming around at the foreign students. "I have great pleasure in welcoming you all to Hogwarts. I hope and trust that your stay here will be both comfortable and enjoyable."**

: One of the Beauxbatons girls still clutching a muffler around her head gave what was unmistakeably a derisive laugh.  
  
"Well it's not as if anyone forced you to come along!" snapped Remus angrily.

"You'd think they'd be really excited, now that they're there. I mean, the Tournament will be starting soon!" said Sirius excitedly. **: "No one's making you stay!" Hermione whispered, bristling at her.**

: "The Tournament will be officially opened at the end of the feast," said Dumbledore. "I now invite you to eat drink, and make yourselves at home!"

: He sat down, and Harry saw Karkaroff lean forward at once and engage him in conversation.

: The dishes in front of them filled with food as usual. The house-elves in the kitchen seemed to have pulled out all the stops; there was a greater variety of dishes in front of them than Harry had ever seen, including several that were definitely foreign.

: "What's _that_?" said Ron, pointing at a large dish of some sort of shellfish stew that stood beside a large steak-and-kidney pudding.

: "Bouillabaisse," said Hermione.

: "Bless you," said Ron.  
  
They all laughed.  
**  
: "It's _French_," said Hermione. "I had it on holiday, summer before last, it's very nice."**

: "I'll take your word for it," said Ron, helping himself to black pudding.  
  
"That's it, Ron - nothing like good British food!" said Sirius, massaging his stomach. **: The Great Hall seemed somehow much more crowded than usual,** "Well that would be because there's more people in it than usual," said James sarcastically.**: even though there were barely twenty additional students there; perhaps it was because their differently coloured uniforms stood out so clearly against the black of the Hogwarts robes. Now that they had removed their furs, the Durmstrang students were revealed to be wearing robes of deep, blood red.**

: Hagrid sidled into the Hall through a door behind the staff table twenty minutes after the start of the feast. He slid into his seat at the end and waved at Harry, Ron and Hermione with a heavily bandaged hand.

: "Skrewts doing all right, Hagrid?" Harry called.

: "Thrivin'" Hagrid called back happily.  
  
They all snorted, as though they doubted it. **: "Yeah, I'll just bet they are," said Ron quietly. "Looks like they've finally found a food they like, doesn't it? Hagrid's fingers."**

: At that moment, a voice said, "Excuse me, are you wanting ze bouillabaisse?"

: It was the girl from Beauxbatons who had laughed during Dumbledore's speech. "Hmph," snorted Lily. **: She had finally removed her muffler. A long sheet of silvery blonde hair fell almost to her waist. She had large, deep blue eyes, and very white, even teeth.**

: Ron went purple. He stared up at her, opened his mouth to reply, but nothing came out except a faint gurgling noise.

: "Yeah, have it," said Harry, pushing the dish towards the girl.

: "You 'ave finished wiz it?"

: "Yeah," said Ron breathlessly. "Yeah, it was excellent."

: The girl picked up the dish and carried it carefully off to the Ravenclaw table. Ron was still goggling at the girl as though he had never seen one before.  
  
"No wonder," said Sirius, grinning, "she sounds like she's Veela."

"But then she wouldn't be at a school?" said James, looking at the others for conformation of his point.

"Maybe she's only part Veela," suggested Lily. **: Harry started to laugh. The sound seemed to jog Ron back to his senses.**

: "She's a _Veela_!" he said hoarsely to Harry.

: "Of course she isn't!" said Hermione tartly. "I don't see anyone else gaping at her like an idiot!"

: But she wasn't entirely right about that. As the girl crossed the Hall, many boys' heads turned, and some of them seemed to have become temporarily speechless, just like Ron.  
  
"Sounds like Hermione may be slightly jealous," said Lily giggling.

"Ugh, why do girls always do this?" said James furiously. "They come over all giggly and girly when _lurve_ is mentioned!"

This statement made Lily giggle all the more, causing James to fold his arms in disgust and glare at her.

**: "I'm telling you, that's not a normal girl!" said Ron, leaning sideways so he could keep a clear view of her.**"No girls are normal," muttered James, in an irritated sort of voice.  
**  
: "They don't make them like that at Hogwarts!" **James stared and grinned goofily at Lily, thinking that Hogwarts wasn't so bad. **: "They make them OK at Hogwarts," said Harry, without thinking. Cho Chang happened to be sitting only a few places away from the girl with silvery hair. **Lily giggled even more and cooed away that her son was growing up and liked girls.

James, Sirius and Remus, however, were commiserating Harry as to how he would now be doomed to the overbearing powers of a woman and her coy ways. **: "When you've both put your eyes back in," said Hermione briskly, "you'll be able to see who's just arrived."**

: She was pointing up at the staff table. The two remaining empty seats had just been filled. Ludo Bagman was now sitting on Professor Karkaroff's other side, while Mr Crouch, Percy's boss, was sitting next to Madame Maxime.

: "What are they doing here?" said Harry in surprise.

: "They organised the Triwizard Tournament, didn't they?" said Hermione. "I suppose they wanted to be here to see it start."

: When the second course arrived they noticed a number of unfamiliar puddings, too. Ron examined an odd sort of pale blancmange closely, then moved it carefully a few inched to his right, so that it would be clearly visible from the Ravenclaw table. The girl who looked like a Veela appeared to have eaten enough, however, and did not come over to get it.  
  
"Always worth a try, eh, Ron?" said Remus, grinning. **: Once the golden plates had been wiped clean, Dumbledore stood up again. A pleasant sort of tension seemed to fill the Hall now. Harry felt a slight thrill of excitement, wondering what was coming. Several seats along from them, Fred and George were leaning forwards, staring at Dumbledore with great concentration.**

: "The moment has come," said Dumbledore, smiling around at the sea of upturned faces. "The Triwizard Tournament is about to start. I would like to say a few words of explanation before we bring the casket -"

: "They what?" Harry muttered.

: Ron shrugged. 

: "- just to clarify the procedure which we will be following this year. But firstly, let me introduce, for those who do not know them, Mr Bartemius Crouch, Head of the Department of International Magical Co-operation" - there was a smattering of polite applause - "and Mr Ludo Bagman, Head of the Department of Magical Games and Sports."

: There was a much louder round of applause for Bagman than for Crouch, perhaps because of his fame as a Beater, or simply because he looked much more likeable.  
  
"Probably both," said Remus.

"Exactly, he was a Quidditch player!" said James, as though this settled the matter.

"You said you thought he was a bit of an idiot," said Lily.

"He probably is, but that doesn't stop him from being a good Quidditch player - look at Sirius."

"Yeah, look at m-" Sirius thought for a second, "- HEY!" And he threw pillows and books at James until he was under a heap. **: He acknowledged it with a jovial wave of his hand. Bartemius Crouch did not smile or wave when his name was announced. Remembering him in his neat suit at the Quidditch World Cup, Harry thought he looked strange in wizard's robes. His toothbrush moustache and severe parting looked very odd next to Dumbledore's long white hair and beard.**

: "Mr Bagman and Mr Crouch have worked tirelessly over the last few months on the arrangements for the Triwizard Tournament," Dumbledore continued, "and they will be joining myself, Professor Karkaroff and Madame Maxime on the panel which will judge the champions' efforts."

: As the mention of the word "champions", the attentiveness of the listening students seemed to sharpen.

: Perhaps Dumbledore had noticed their sudden stillness, for he smiled and said, "The casket, then, if you please, Mr Filch."

: Filch, who had been lurking unnoticed in a far corner of the Hall, now approached Dumbledore, carrying a great wooden chest, encrusted with jewels. It looked extremely old. A murmur of excited interest rose from the watching students; Dennis Creevey actually stood on his chair to see it properly, but, being so tiny, his head hardly rose above anyone else's."  
  
"Aww, bless," said Lily sweetly.

The boys rolled their eyes.

**: "The instructions for the tasks the champions will face this year have already been examined by Mr Crouch and Mr Bagman," said Dumbledore, as Filch placed the chest carefully on the table before him, "and they have made the necessary arrangements for each challenge. There will be three tasks, spaced throughout the school year, and they will test the champions in many different ways ... their magical prowess - their daring - their powers of deduction - and, of course, their ability to cope with danger."  
**  
"Coooooooool," said the boys together in complete awe. **: At this last word, the Hall filled with a silence so absolute that nobody seemed to be breathing.**

: "As you know, three champions compete in the Tournament," Dumbledore went on calmly, "one from each of the participating schools. They will be marked on how well they perform each of the Tournament tasks and the champion with the highest total after task three will win the Triwizard Cup.   
  
Each of them imagined the glory of bringing the cup to Hogwarts, grins appearing on each of their faces at this thought.  
**  
: The champions will be chosen by an impartial selector ... the Goblet of Fire." **"Ooooooh," they all chimed.  
**  
: Dumbledore now took out his wand, and tapped three times upon the top of the casket. The lid creaked slowly open. Dumbledore reached inside it, and pulled out a large, roughly hewn wooden cup. It would have been entirely unremarkable, had it not been full to the brim with dancing, blue-white flames.**

: Dumbledore closed the casket and placed the Goblet carefully on top of it, where it would be clearly visible to everyone in the Hall.  
  
James and Remus craned their necks to get a better look at the book, as though they could see the Goblet in it, their eyes shining with excitement. **: "Anybody wishing to submit themselves as champion must write their name and school clearly upon a slip of parchment, and drop it into the Goblet," said Dumbledore. "Aspiring champions have twenty-four hours in which to put their names forward. Tomorrow night, Hallowe'en, the Goblet will return the names of the three it has judged most worthy to represent their schools. The Goblet will be placed in the Entrance Hall tonight, where it will be freely accessible to all those wishing to compete.**

: "To ensure that no underage student yields to temptation," said Dumbledore, "I will be drawing an Age Line around the Goblet of Fire once it has been placed in the Entrance Hall. Nobody under the age of seventeen will be able to cross this line.  
  
"I don't think that will stop Fred and George trying, though," said Remus, his eyes twinkling.

"Damn straight!" said James and Sirius together. **: "Finally, I wish to impress upon any of you wishing to compete that this Tournament is not to be entered into lightly. Once a champion has been selected by the Goblet of Fire, he or she is obliged to see the Tournament through to the end. The placing of your name in the Goblet constitutes a binding, magical contract. There can be no change of heart once you have become champion. Please be very sure, therefore, that you are whole-heartedly prepared to play, before you drop your name into the Goblet. Now, I think it is time for bed. Goodnight to you all."  
**  
"None of them will sleep tonight - they'll be too excited," said James.

"They'll be loads of people hiding round the Entrance Hall trying to find out who's put their name in," said Sirius grinning.

"Oh ... I can't wait to find out who's going to be champion!" said Lily.

"I don't care who it is, just as long as it's not a Slytherin for Hogwarts!" said James flatly.

**: "An Age Line!" Fred Weasley said, his eyes glinting, as they all made their way across the Hall to the doors into the Entrance Hall. "Well, that should be fooled by an Ageing Potion, shouldn't it? And once your name's in the Goblet, you're laughing - it can't tell whether your seventeen or not!"  
**  
"Dumbledore's bound to have thought of that one, though!" said Remus sceptically.

"Yeah, probably, but it'll be funny to see them try it anyway," said James, grinning. **"But I don't think anyone under seventeen will stand a chance," said Hermione, "we just haven't learnt enough ..."**

: "Speak for yourself," said George shortly. "You'll try and get in, won't you, Harry?"  
  
"Oh, no, Harry! You're far too young to compete! Anyways, it'll be much more fun for you to spectate, rather than compete!" said Lily quickly.

James looked at her incredulously.**: Harry thought briefly of Dumbledore's insistence that nobody under seventeen should submit their name, but then the wonderful picture of him winning the Triwizard Cup filled his mind again ... he wondered how angry Dumbledore would be if someone younger then seventeen _did_ find a way to get over the Age Line ...  
**  
"There wouldn't be a lot he could do about it," said Sirius. "Not if it's a binding magical contract ..."**: "Where is he?" said Ron, who wasn't listening to a word of this conversation, but looking through the crowd to see what had become of Krum. "Dumbledore didn't say where the Durmstrang people are sleeping, did he?"  
**  
"He's obsessed," said Remus.

They all looked at James.

"Hey!" he whined, and threw pillows and books at them all. **: But this query was answered almost instantly; they were level with the Slytherin table now, and Karkaroff had just bustled up to his students.**

: "Back to the ship, then," he was saying. "Viktor, how are you feeling? Did you eat enough? Should I send for some mulled wine from the kitchens?"

: Harry saw Krum shake his head as he pulled his furs back on.

: "Professor, _I_ vood like some vine," said one of the other Durmstrang boys hopefully.

: "I wasn't offering it to _you_, Poliakoff," snapped Karkaroff, his warmly paternal air vanishing in an instant. "I notice you have dribbled food all down the front of your robes again, disgusting boy -"  
  
"Charming," said Lily, hotly.

"No favouritism there at all, is there?" said Sirius sarcastically. **: Karkaroff turned and led his students towards the doors, reaching them exactly at the same moment as Harry, Ron and Hermione. Harry stopped to let them walk through first.  
**  
"Polite as ever!" cooed Lily proudly.

The boys rolled their eyes, muttering "Women ... they're so stupid!"

**: "Thank you," said Karkaroff carelessly, glancing at him.**

: And then Karkaroff froze. He turned his head back to Harry, and stared at him as though he couldn't believe his eyes. Behind their Headmaster, the students from Durmstrang came to a halt, too. Karkaroff's eyes moved slowly up Harry's face, and fixed upon his scar. The Durmstrang students were staring curiously at Harry, too.  
  
"He's famous abroad, too!" said James delightedly. "I never thought about the foreign wizards!"

"Voldemort causes terror throughout Europe apparently," said Lily. **: Out of the corner of his eye, Harry saw comprehension dawn on a few of their faces. The boy with food all down his front nudged the girl next to him and pointed openly at Harry's forehead. **"He's a legend!" said James proudly.

"I'm a legend too," said Sirius.

"Yeah, a legendary idiot," said Remus.

Expecting sarcasm from Remus, Sirius promptly grabbed his gunge bomb that he had been creating secretly in his corner, in order to gain revenge on James; he instead smiled sweetly at Remus and threw it straight into his face, so that when Remus emerged from behind his hands to wipe his eyes, his face was covered in a congealed green and red slime.

Everyone else burst out laughing, while Remus lunged on top of Sirius with a pillow, which ended up in pillows bursting open in a shower of feathers, which then stuck to the gunge on Remus' face making him look like a extremely odd bird-like creature. This caused everyone to laugh even harder, indeed, Sirius was laughing so much, he was sprawled on the floor, gripping the pillow, tears streaming down his red face as he howled away. Remus muttered darkly about having a load of morons as friends and left the room to wash his face. **: "Yeah, that's Harry Potter," said a growling voice from behind them.**

: Professor Karkaroff spun around. Mad-Eye Moody as standing there, leaning heavily on his staff, his magical eye glaring unblinkingly at the Durmstrang Headmaster.

: The colour drained from Karkaroff's face as Harry watched. A terrible look of mingled fury and fear came over his face.  
  
"Mad-Eye must have had him in for something," said James.

"Wouldn't surprise me," said Sirius carelessly, "he's one of my Dad's mates ... probably a complete idiot!"  
**  
: "You!" he said, staring at Moody as though he was unsure he was really seeing him.  
**  
"Someone needs to give this guy a slap in the face," said James sarcastically, "I mean, he seems to be thinking that everyone he sees isn't actually there - what an idiot!"  
**  
: "Me," said Moody grimly. "And unless you've got anything to say to Potter, Karkaroff, you might want to move. You're blocking the doorway.": It was true; half the students in the Hall were now waiting behind them, looking over each other's shoulders to see what was causing the hold-up.**

: Without another word, professor Karkaroff swept his students away with him. Moody watched him out of sight, his magical eye fixed upon his back, a look of intense dislike upon his mutilated face.  
  
"I wonder if Karkaroff's an escaped Death Eater?" said Remus, who had come back into the room, with a few feathers stuck behind his ears and in his hair.

"Don't be crazy - Dumbledore'd never let him in the school if he was," said James alarmed.

"Maybe that's why he got Moody out of retirement ..." said Sirius thoughtfully.

Lily shrugged when they all looked at her.

**: As the next day was Saturday, most students would normally have breakfasted late. Harry, Ron and Hermione, however, were not alone in rising much earlier than they usually did at weekends. When they went down into the Entrance Hall, they saw about twenty people milling around it, some of them eating toast, all examining the Goblet of Fire. It had been placed in the centre of the hall on the stool that normally bore the Sorting Hat. A thin golden line had been traced on the floor, forming a circle ten feet around it in every direction.**

: "Anyone put their name in yet?" Ron asked a third-year girl eagerly.

: "All the Durmstrang lot," she replied. "But I haven't seen anyone from Hogwarts yet." "They'll have all done it really early," said Remus confidently.  
**  
: "Bet some of them put it in last night after we'd all gone to bed," said Harry. "I would've done if it had been me ... wouldn't have wanted everyone watching. What if the Goblet just gobbled you right back out again?" **James frowned.

"What?" said Lily.

"It's just ... he's not very confident in some things ... he thought that about the Sorting Hat as well."

"Well, Harry doesn't like people staring at him, does he? Not surprising, really. People have a high opinion of him and expect too much of him," said Lily wisely. **: Someone laughed behind Harry. Turning, he saw Fred, George and Lee Jordan hurrying down the staircase, all three of them looking extremely excited.**

: "Done it," Fred said in a triumphant whisper to Harry, Ron and Hermione. "Just taken it."

: "What?" said Ron.  
: "The Ageing Potion, dungbrains," said Fred. Sirius burst out laughing at this remark, causing the others to merely look at him as though he was a complete nutter.**: "One drop each," said George, rubbing his hands together with glee. !We only need to be a few months older."**

: "We're going to split the thousand Galleons between the three of us if one of us wins," said Lee, grinning broadly.

: "I'm not sure this is going to work, you know," said Hermione warningly. "I'm sure Dumbledore will have thought of this."

: Fred, George and Lee ignored her.  
  
"Well, they can't say they weren't warned," said Remus, looking as though he was looking forward to what Dumbledore had done to the line.  
**  
: "Ready?" Fred said to the other two, quivering with excitement. "C'mon, then - I'll go first – "**

: Harry watched, fascinated, as Fred pulled a slip of parchment out of his pocket, bearing the words "Fred Weasley - Hogwarts". Fred walked right up to the edge of the line, and stood there, rocking on his toes like a diver preparing for a fifty-foot drop. Then, with the eyes of every person in the Entrance Hall upon him, he took a great breath and stepped over the line.

: For a split second, Harry thought it had worked - George certainly thought so, for he let out a yell of triumph and leapt after Fred - but next moment, there was a loud sizzling sound, and both twins were hurled out of the golden circle as though they had been thrown by an invisible shot-putter. They landed painfully, ten feet away on the cold stone floor, and to add insult to injury, there was a loud popping noise, and both of them sprouted identical, long white beards.  
  
They all burst out laughing. Indeed, Sirius and James were laughing so hard that tears streamed down their faces and they seemed to have lost all control over their limbs, as they kept knocking things over.

Unfortunately for Remus, having already been covered in sludge and feathers, James accidentally knocked down his one of his boxes of Stink Pellets right on top if him, causing the room to be completely gassed out that James was reduced to opening his bedroom windows, and the doors leading into the other rooms and their windows to relieve themselves of the smell.

**: "I did warn you," said a deep, amused voice, and everyone turned to see Professor Dumbledore coming out of the Great Hall. He surveyed Fred and George, his eyes twinkling. "I suggest you both go up to Madam Pomfrey. She is already tending to Miss Fawcett, of Ravenclaw, and Mr Summers, of Hufflepuff, both of whom decided to age themselves up a little, too. Though I must say, neither of their beards is anything like as fine as yours."  
**  
They all burst out laughing again and Remus made sure that he was sitting away from anything that could be dropped on him.  
**  
: Fred and George set off for the hospital wing, accompanied by Lee, who was howling with laughter, and Harry, Ron and Hermione, also chortling, went in to breakfast.**

: The decorations in the Great Hall had changed this morning. As it was Hallowe'en, a cloud of live bats was fluttering around the enchanted ceiling, while hundreds of carved pumpkins leered from every corner. Harry led the way over to Dean and Seamus, who were discussing those Hogwarts students of seventeen or over who might be entering.

"This conversation is beginning to get boring," said Sirius yawning.

"Just because you have the attention span of a goldfish doesn't mean we all have, you know," said Lily. **: "There's a rumour going round, Warrington got up early and put his name in," Dean told Harry. "That big bloke from Slytherin who looks like a sloth."  
**  
"No way are we having a Slytherin champion!" said Sirius adamantly.

"DAMN STRAIGHT!" said James firmly. **: Harry, who had played Quidditch against Warrington, shook his head in disgust. "We can't have a Slytherin champion!"  
**  
"Spoken like a true Gryffindor and Potter," said James proudly. **: "And all the Hufflepuffs are talking about Diggory," said Seamus contemptuously. "But I wouldn't have thought he'd have wanted to risk his good looks."  
**  
They all chuckled.  
**  
: "Listen!" said Hermione suddenly.**

: People were cheering out in the entrance Hall. They all swivelled around in their seats, and saw Angelina Johnson coming into the Hall, grinning in an embarrassed sort of way. A tall black girl who played Chaser on the Gryffindor Quidditch team, Angelina came over to them, sat down and said, "Well, I've done it! Just put my name in!"

: "You'ere kidding!" said Ron, looking impressed.

: "Are you seventeen, then?" asked Harry.  
  
"She must be, Harry!" said Sirius, talking as thought he thought Harry was being stupid. "She doesn't have a beard, does she?"  
**  
: "'Course she is. Can't see a beard, can you?" said Ron.**

: "I had my birthday last week," said Angelina.

: "Well, I'm glad someone from Gryffindor's entering," said Hermione. "I really hope you get it, Angelina!"

: "Thanks, Hermione," said Angelina, smiling at her.

: "Yeah, better you than Pretty-Boy Diggory," said Seamus, causing several Hufflepuffs passing their table to scowl heavily at him.  
  
They all chuckled softly, thought looking thoroughly pleased that a Gryffindor was in with a chance. **: "What're we going to do today, then?" Ron asked Harry and Hermione, when they had finished breakfast and were leaving the Great Hall.**

: "We haven't been down to visit Hagrid yet," said Harry.  
  
"Excellent, we'll be able to see if the Skrewts have been - er - tamed in some way," said Remus.

**: "OK," said Ron, "just as long as he doesn't ask us to donate a few fingers to the Skrewts."**

: A look of great excitement suddenly dawned on Hermione's face. 

: "I've just realised - I haven't asked Hagrid to join S.P.E.W. yet!" she said brightly. "Why doesn't she change the name of this stupid group?" said Sirius.

"Dunno," said James. **: "Wait for me, will you, while I nip upstairs and get the badges?"**

: "What's she like?" said Ron, exasperated, as Hermione ran away up the marble staircase.

: "Hey, Ron," said Harry suddenly. "It's your friend ..."

: The students from Beauxbatons were coming through the front doors from the grounds, among them, the Veela girl. Those gathered around the Goblet of Fire stood back to let them pass, watching eagerly.

: Madame Maxime entered the hall behind her students and organised them into a line. One by one, the Beauxbatons students stepped across the Age-Line and dropped their slips of parchment into the blue-white flames. As each name entered the fire, it turned briefly red and emitted sparks.

: "What d'you reckon'll happen to the ones that aren't chosen?" Ron muttered o Harry, as the Veela girl dropped her parchment into the Goblet of Fire. "Reckon they'll go back to school, or hang around to watch the Tournament?"

: "Dunno," said Harry. "Hang around, I suppose ... Madame Maxime's staying, isn't she?"

: When all the Beauxbatons students had submitted their names, Madame Maxime led them back out of the hall and into the grounds again. "Why did Maxime have to come with them?" said Lily. "They could have easily have done it on their own!"

"Maybe it's to make sure they all enter their names on time," said Remus.

"Sounds like she's forcing them to," said Sirius.

"She might have only brought the students who really wanted to enter," suggested James.  
**  
: "Where are _they_ sleeping, then?" said Ron, moving towards the front doors and staring after them.**

: A loud rattling noise behind them announced Hermione's reappearance with the box of S.P.E.W. badges.

: "Oh, good, hurry up," said Ron, and he jumped down the stone steps, keeping his eyes on the back of the Veela girl, who was now halfway across the lawn with Madame Maxime.  
  
The boys all looked at each other and grinned, while Lily tried to contain her giggles once more. **: As they neared Hagrid's cabin on the edge of the Forbidden Forest, the mystery of the Beauxbatons' sleeping quarters was solved. The gigantic powder-blue carriage in which they had arrived had been parked two hundred yards from Hagrid's front door, and the students were climbing back inside it. The elephantine flying horses that had pulled the carriage were now grazing in a makeshift paddock alongside it.: Harry knocked on Hagrid's door, and Fang's booming barks answered instantly.: "'Bout time!" said Hagrid, when he'd flung open the door and seen who was knocking. "Thought you lot'd forgotten where I live!"**

: "We've been really busy Hag-" Hermione started to say, but then she stopped dead, looking up at Hagrid, apparently lost for words.  
  
"Oh my God, what have the Skrewts done to him now," said James, sounding worried.

**: Hagrid was wearing his best (and very horrible) hairy brown suit, plus a checked yellow-and-orange tie. This wasn't the worst of it, though; he had evidently tried to tame his hair, using large quantities of what appeared to be axel grease. It was now slicked down into two bunches - perhaps he had tried a ponytail like Bill's, but found he had too much hair. The look didn't really suit Hagrid at all. **"Sounds like Hagrid's trying to impress someone," said Lily, then she exploded into another fit of giggles.

The boys looked at the book with disgust.

"I hope Hagrid hasn't become drawn in by the wily ways of women and is now forever doomed in their power," said James. **: For a moment, Hermione goggled at him, then, obviously deciding not to comment, she said, "Erm - where are the Skrewts?"  
**  
"Who cares about the stupid Skrewts - nobody likes them, so why ask about them?" said Sirius.  
**  
: "Out by the pumpkin patch," said Hagrid happily. "They're gettin' massive, mus' be nearly three foot long now. On'y trouble is, they've started killin' each other." **"Oh well, never mind," said James happily.  
**  
: "Oh, no, really?" said Hermione, shooting a repressive look at Ron, who, staring at Hagrid's odd hairstyle, had just opened his mouth to say something about it.  
**  
Lily giggled harder, causing the boys to scowl at her.  
**  
: "Yeah," said Hagrid sadly. "'S'OK, though, I've got 'em in separate boxes now. Still got abou' twenty."**

: "Well that's lucky," said Ron. Hagrid missed the sarcasm. "Or ignored it," said Sirius. **: Hagrid's cabin comprised a single room, in one corner of which a gigantic bed covered in a patchwork quilt. A similarly enormous wooden table and chairs stood in front of the fire, beneath the quantity of cured hams and dead birds hanging from the ceiling. They sat down at the table while Hagrid started to make tea, and were soon immersed in yet more discussion of the Triwizard Tournament. Hagrid seemed quite as excited about it as they were.  
**  
"That's 'cos he's a big kid at heart!" said James. "I plan to be like that, too!""What d'you mean, you plan to be a big kid?" said Remus sarcastically.  
**  
: "You wait," he said grinning. "You jus' wait. Yer going ter see some stuff yeh've never seen before. Firs' task ... ah, but I'm not supposed ter say." **"Why does Hagrid always manage to do this? He'll get you all excited, let a really tiny detail slip, then remember that he's not supposed to say anything!" said Sirius in complete frustration. **: "Go on, Hagrid!" Harry, Ron and Hermione urged him, but he just shook his head, grinning.**

: "I don' want ter spoil it fer yeh," said Hagrid. "But it's gonna be spectacular, I'll tell yer that. Them champions're going ter have their work cut out. Never thought I'd live ter see the Triwizard Tournament played again!"  
  
"Wish I were alive then," said James longingly. "I'd be sending Harry daily owls about it!"

**: They ended up having lunch with Hagrid, though they didn't eat much - Hagrid had made what he said was a beef casserole, but after Hermione unearthed a large talon in hers, she, Harry and Ron rather lost their appetites.**

"I think any normal person would," said James, raising his eyebrows. **: They enjoyed themselves trying to make Hagrid tell them what the tasks in the Tournament were going to be, however, speculating which of the entrants were likely to be selected as champions, and wondering whether Fred and George were beardless yet. **"They should be by now," said Sirius. "Amazingly funny piece of trickery by Dumbledore!"  
**  
: A light rain had started to fall by mid-afternoon; it was very cosy sitting by the fire, listening to the gentle patter of the drops on the window, watching Hagrid darning his socks and arguing with Hermione about house-elves - for he flatly refused to join S.P.E.W. when she showed him her badges.  
**  
"This'll be a funny argument, then," said Lily, grinning at the others. **: "It'd be doin' 'em an unkindness, Hermione," he said gravely, threading a massive bone needle with thick yellow yarn. "It's in their nature ter look after humans, that's what they like, see? Yeh'd be makin' 'em unhappy ter take away their work, an' insultin' 'em if yeh tried ter pay 'em."  
**  
"You know, he does have a point, you know," said Sirius fairly. "I think Kreacher would die of shock if we freed him ... actually ... maybe I should try that ... it'd get rid -" but he stopped with stern looks from James and Remus. **: "But Harry set Dobby free, and he was over the moon about it!" said Hermione.  
**  
"Well you'd be over the moon as well to get away from the household of people like the Malfoy's!" snapped Sirius at the book. Then he sat mumbling to himself. **: "_And_ we heard he's asking for wages now!"**

: "Yeah, well, yeh get weirdos in every breed. I'm not sayin' there isn't the odd elf who'd take freedom, but yeh'll never persuade most of 'em ter do it - no, nothin' doin', Hermione."  
  
**: Hermione looked very cross indeed, and stuffed her box of badges back into her cloak pocket.  
**  
"Hey! She's been annoying everyone in Gryffindor Tower for ages with those stupid badges, and Hagrid gets off this lightly?" said James irritated. **: By half past five it was growing dark, and Ron, Harry and Hermione decided it was time to get back up to the castle for the Hallowe'en feast - and, more importantly, the announcement of the school champions.  
**  
"At last!" said Sirius in relieved tones, as though it had been an age since he wanted to know and not just minutes.  
**  
: "I'll come with yeh," said Hagrid, putting away his darning. "Jus' give us a sec."**

: Hagrid got up, went across to the chest of drawers beside his bed and began searching for something inside it. They didn't pay too much attention, until a truly horrible smell reached their nostrils.

: Coughing, Ron said, "Hagrid, what's that?"

: "Eh?" said Hagrid, turning round with a large bottle in his hand. "Don' yeh like it?"

: "Is that aftershave?" said Hermione, in a slightly choked voice.  
  
"Aftershave? _Aftershave_? Hagrid?" said James, looking at the others in astonishment.

**: "Er - eau-de-Cologne," Hagrid muttered, he was blushing. "Maybe it's a bit much," he said gruffly. "I'll go take it off, hang on ..."**

: He stumped out of the cabin, and they saw him washing himself vigorously in the water barrel outside the window.

: "Eau-de-Cologne?" said Hermione in amazement. "_Hagrid_?"

: "And what's with the hair and the suit?" said Harry in an undertone.  
  
"It does sound like Hagrid's trying to impress someone," said Remus, grinning sheepishly.

"Yup - maybe someone of the fairer sex," cooed Sirius, in his sickly sweet tone. **"Look!" said Ron suddenly, pointing out of the window.**

: Hagrid had just straightened up and turned round. If he had been blushing before, it was nothing to what he was doing now. Getting to their feet very cautiously, so that Hagrid wouldn't spot them, Harry, Ron and Hermione peered through the window and saw that Madame Maxime and the Beauxbatons students had just emerged from their carriage, clearly bout to set off for the feast, too. They couldn't hear what Hagrid was saying, but he was talking to Madame Maxime with a rapt, misty-eyed expression Harry had only ever seen him wear once before - when he had been looking at the baby dragon, Norbert.  
  
"He's doomed," said James, bowing his head. "Doomed to the ever-manipulating ways of women."

"Respect," said Sirius quietly.

"Amen," said Remus.

Lily rolled her eyes muttering, "For God's sake, we're not that bad!"  
**  
: "He's going up to the castle with her!" said Hermione indignantly. "I thought he was waiting for us?"**

: Without so much as a backward glance at his cabin, Hagrid was trudging off up the grounds with Madame Maxime, the Beauxbatons students following in their wake, jogging to keep up with their enormous strides.

: "He fancies her!" said Ron incredulously.  
  
"Well, durr!" they all said.**: "Well, if they end up having children, they'll be setting a world record - bet any baby of theirs would weigh about a ton."  
**  
"Bit early for talking about babies, isn't it?" said James, sounding slightly alarmed. "I mean, the guy's only just met the women!"

**: They let themselves out of the cabin and shut the door behind them. It was surprisingly dark outside. Drawing their cloaks more closely around themselves, they set off up the sloping lawns.**

: "Ooh, it's them, look!" Hermione whispered.

: The Durmstrang party were walking up towards the castle from the lake. Viktor Krum was walking side by side with Karkaroff, and the other Durmstrang students were straggling along behind them.  
  
"Surely that would annoy the other students," said Sirius.

"What would?" asked James.

"Karkaroff very openly favouring Krum like that - I mean, it's only because he's a famous Quidditch celebrity."

"True - but I love Quidditch and I'm not in his class, so I don't care," said James, smiling.  
**  
: Ron watched Krum excitedly, but Krum did not look around as he reached the front doors a little ahead of Hermione, Ron and Harry, and proceeded through them.**

: When they entered the candlelit Great Hall it was almost full. The Goblet of Fire had been moved; it was now standing in front of Dumbledore's empty chair at the teachers' table. Fred and George - clean shaven again - seemed to have taken their disappointment fairly well.  
  
"That's good," said James, smiling again.

**: "Hope it's Angelina," said Fred, as Harry, Ron and Hermione sat down.**

"I'm just hoping it's not one of the Slytherin scum!" snarled Sirius.

**: "So do I!" said Hermione breathlessly. "Well, we'll soon know!"**

**: The Hallowe'en feast seemed to take much longer than usual.**

"That's because you're more interested in the Goblet!" said Lily fondly.

**: Perhaps it was because it was their second feast in two days, Harry didn't seem to fancy the extravagantly prepared food as much as he would normally have done. Like everyone else in the Hall, judging by the constantly craning necks, the impatient expressions on every face, the fidgeting and the standing up to see whether Dumbledore had finished eating yet, Harry simply wanted the plates to clear, and to hear who had been selected as champions.**

"Ugh, he's so impatient!" said Sirius.

The others looked at him, as if he had a nerve.

"What?"

"You're probably the most impatient person any of us are ever likely to meet, Sirius Black!" said Remus.

**: At long last, the golden plated returned to their original spotless state; there was a sharp upswing in the level of noise in the Hall, which died away almost instantly as Dumbledore got to his feet. On either side of him, Professor Karkaroff and Madame Maxime looked as tense and expectant as anyone. Ludo Bagman was beaming and winking at various students. Mr Crouch, however, looked quite uninterested, almost bored.**

"Boring guy," muttered James. "Hope I never turn into that."

"No chance," said Sirius grinning.

**: "Well, the Goblet is almost ready to make is decision," said Dumbledore. "I estimate that it requires one more minute. Now, when the champions' names are called, I would ask them please to come up to the top of the Hall, walk along the staff table, and go through into the next chamber" - he indicated the door behind the staff table - "where they will be receiving their first instructions."**

The boys all clapped their hands together and rubbed them excitedly, grinning from ear to ear like kids.

**: He took out his wand and gave a great sweeping wave with it; at once, all the candles except those inside the carved pumpkins were extinguished, plunging them all into a state of semi-darkness. The Goblet of Fire now shone more brightly than anything in the whole Hall, the sparkling bright, bluey-whiteness of the flames almost painful on he eyes. Everyone watched, waiting ... a few people kept checking their watches ... **

**: "Any second," Lee Jordan whispered, two seats away from Harry.**

They were all shaking, with excitement, little squeaks kept coming out of them at times; then their faces screwed up with the effort of tying to contain such a level of excitement.

**: The flames inside the Goblet turned suddenly red again. Sparks began to fly from it. Next moment, a tongue of flame shot into the air, a charred piece of parchment fluttered out of it - the whole room gasped.**

"Cool," they all said in awe.

Then the rubbed their hands excitedly again.

**: Dumbledore caught the piece of parchment and held it at arm's length, so that he could read it by the light of the flames, which had turned back to blue white.**

**: The champion for Durmstrang," he read, in a strong, clear voice, "will be Viktor Krum."**

"Of course it is, he's a Quidditch player!" said James, as though this was the most obvious thing in the world.

**: "No surprises there!" yelled Ron, as a storm of applause and cheering swept the Hall. Harry saw Viktor Krum rise from the Slytherin table, and slouch up towards Dumbledore; he turned right, walked along the staff table, and disappeared through the door into the next chamber.**

**: "Bravo, Viktor!" boomed Karkaroff, so loudly that everyone could hear him, even over the applause. "Knew you had it in you!"**

"Biased git," muttered Sirius.

**: The clapping and chatting died down. Now everyone's attention was focused again on the Goblet, which, seconds later, turned red once more. A second piece of parchment shot out of it, propelled by the flames.**

**: "The champion for Beauxbatons," said Dumbledore, "is Fleur Delacour!"**

**: "It's her, Ron!" Harry shouted, as the girl who so resembled a Veela got gracefully to her feet, shook back her sheet of silvery blonde hair and swept up between the Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff tables.**

**: "Oh, look, they're all disappointed," Hermione said over the noise, nodding towards the remainder of the Beauxbatons party. "Disappointed" was a bit of an understatement, Harry thought. Two of he girls who had not been selected had dissolved into tears, and were sobbing with their heads on their arms.**

The boys all looked at each other in bewilderment, and then looked at Lily.

Simultaneously, they asked, "Why do women cry so much?"

"I dunno - you lot seem to have the answers on women, don't you?" she answered icily back. "I mean, we're all predatory, manipulating cows, aren't we?"

"Well, yeah - but you do cry a lot as well," said James. "Why is it? To make men feel bad? To get attention? To ann-" James was forced to stop his speculations after Lily had thrown a particularly large book at him.

**: When Fleur Delacour, too, had vanished into the side chamber, silence fell again, but this time it was a silence so stiff with excitement you could almost taste it. The Hogwarts champion next ... **

"Come on ... come on, you've tortured us enough with all this anticipation!" said Sirius, who had jumped to his feet and was presently dancing round on his tiptoes.

**: And the Goblet of Fire turned red once more; sparks showered out of it; the tongue of flame shot high into the air, and from its tip Dumbledore pulled the third piece of parchment.**

**: "The Hogwarts champion," he called, "is Cedric Diggory!"**

"Excellent! It's not a Slytherin! TAKE THAT LOSERS!" said Sirius in triumph.

**: "No!" said Ron loudly, but nobody heard him except Harry; the uproar from the next table was too great. Every single Hufflepuff had jumped to his or her feet, screaming and stamping, as Cedric made his way past them, grinning broadly, and headed of towards the chamber behind the teachers' table. Indeed, the applause for Cedric went on so long that it was some time before Dumbledore could make himself heard again.**

"It's nice the Hufflepuff finally have some glory for their house," said James.

**:"Excellent!" Dumbledore called happily, as the last tumult died down. "Well, we now have out three champions. I am sure I can count upon all of you, including the remaining students from Beauxbatons and Durmstrang, to give your champion every ounce of support you can muster. By cheering your champion on, you will contribute in a very real -"**

**: But Dumbledore suddenly stopped speaking, and it was apparent to everybody what had distracted him.**

"But Dumbledore _never_ gets distracted!" said Remus.

**: The fire in the Goblet had just turned red again. Sparks were flying out of it. A long flame shot suddenly into the air, and borne upon it was another piece of parchment.**

"That's impossible," said James, "I mean, only three champions are selected - one from each school! How can there be two champions from one of the school?"

The others merely shrugged.

**: Automatically, it seemed, Dumbledore reached out a long hand and seized the parchment. He held it out and stared at the name written upon it. There was a long pause, during which Dumbledore stared at the slip in his hands, and everyone in the room stared at Dumbledore.**

"I have a bad feeling about this," said James slowly and cautiously.

**: And then Dumbledore cleared his throat, and read out -  
**

**_: "Harry Potter."_**

"Damn!" cursed James. "Some git has hoodwinked the cup to get my boy in the competition!"

"But he has a chance to compete! He now has a chance to win!" said Sirius, who was excited for Harry, yet at the same time, disappointed and shocked that James was not very pleased with this news.

Lily looked positively terrified. "I thought there was an Age Line - how could Harry have got past it!"

"Harry didn't put his name in," said James firmly, "We would have seen him do it!"

"True," said Remus.

"I hope this has nothing to do with that 'plan' of Voldemort's from the first chapter," James said worriedly.

"Don't say things like that," said Lily closing her eyes and shuddering.

Sirius, who clearly hadn't thought of any of this, now began to see James' point, and also began to look seriously concerned.

"Maybe there's been some mistake," he suggested. "Why don't we just continue with the book?" And he held it out to Remus, whom he thought best to read it, who immediately accepted when James made a movement to grab it.


	17. Chapter 17

**Disclaimer: Not mine**

**Beta: loonygrl90**

**CHAPTER SEVENTEEN**

**: THE FOUR CHAMPIONS**

"That sounds like they're letting Harry compete in the Tournament," said Lily worriedly.

"But he's too young - they can't let whoever put his name in get away with that!" said James in outrage.

**: Harry sat there, aware that every head in the Great Hall had turned to look at him. He was stunned. He felt numb. He was surely dreaming. He had not heard correctly.**

"Poor kid," muttered Sirius anxiously.

**: There was no applause. A buzzing, as though of angry bees, was starting to fill the Hall; some students were standing up to get a better look at Harry as he sat, frozen, in his seat.**

"They're all going to think he put his name in, aren't they?" said Remus.

"Of course they are," said Sirius angrily.

**: Up at the top table, Professor McGonagall had got to her feet and swept past Ludo Bagman and Professor Karkaroff to whisper urgently to Professor Dumbledore, who bent his ear towards her, frowning slightly.**

"I hope McGonagall doesn't go mental with him threatening expulsion, or worse, an entire year's detention with her," said Sirius, looking alarmed.

**: Harry turned to Ron and Hermione; beyond them, he saw the long Gryffindor table all watching him open mouthed.**

**: "I didn't put my name in," Harry said blankly. "You know I didn't."**

**: Both of them stared just as blankly back.**

"What are they meant to say to that?" said Lily, looking terribly concerned now.

**: At the top table, Professor Dumbledore had straightened up, nodding to Professor McGonagall.**

**: "Harry Potter!" he called again. "Harry! Up here, if you please!"**

**: "Go on," Hermione whispered, giving harry a slight push.**

**: Harry got to his feet, trod on the hem of his robes and stumbled slightly. He set off up the gap between the Gryffindor and Hufflepuff tables. It felt like an immensely long walk; the top table didn't seem to be getting any nearer at all, and he could feel hundreds and hundreds of eyes upon him, as though each was a searchlight. the buzzing grew louder and louder. After what seemed like an hour, he was right in front of Dumbledore, feeling the stares of all the teachers upon him.**

**: "Well ... through the door, Harry," said Dumbledore. He wasn't smiling.**

"I bet he isn't," said Remus.

"That's good," said James decidedly. "Means he knows there's something fishy going on, too."

**: Harry moved off along the teachers' table. Hagrid was sat right at the end. He did not wink at Harry, nor wave, or give any of his usual signs of greeting. He looked completely astonished, and stared at Harry as he passed, like everyone else. Harry went through the door out of the Great Hall, and found himself in a smaller room, lined with paintings of witches and wizards. A handsome fire was roaring in the fireplace opposite him.**

James' breathing was very deep and loud, as though he wanted to rant and rave on for hours, though he did not say anything.

**: The faces of the portraits turned to look at him as he entered. He saw a wizened witch flit out of the frame of her picture and into the one next to it, which contained a wizard with a walrus moustache. The wizened witch started whispering in his ear.**

**: Viktor Krum, Cedric Diggory and Fleur Delacour were grouped around the fire. They looked strangely impressive, silhouetted against the flames. Krum, hunched up and brooding, was leaning against the mantelpiece, slightly apart from the other two. Cedric was standing with his hands behind his back, staring into the fire. Fleur Delacour looked around when Harry walked in, and threw back her sheet of long, silvery hair.**

"Why doesn't she just tie it back, instead of showing it off!" muttered Lily in complete irritation.

**: "What is it?" she said. "Do zey want us back in ze Hall?"**

"They think he's come to deliver a message," said James, feeling completely sorry for Harry, and utterly helpless.

**: She thought he had come to deliver a message. Harry didn't know how to explain what had just happened. He just stood there, looking at the three champions. It struck how very tall all of them were.**

**: There was a sound of scurrying feet behind him, and Ludo Bagman entered the room. He took Harry by the arm, and led him forwards.**

**: "Extraordinary!" he muttered, squeezing Harry's arm. "absolutely extraordinary!Gentlemen ... lady, "he added, approaching the fireside and addressing the other three. "May I introduce - incredible though it may seem - the _fourth_ Triwizard champion?"**

"This guy may be a Quidditch legend, and I will always respect him for that, but he's also a complete idiot!" said James, in astonishment.

**: Viktor rum straightened up. His surly face darkened as he surveyed Harry. Cedric looked nonplussed. He looked from Bagman to Harry and back again as though sure he must have misheard what Bagman had said. Fleur Delacour, however, tossed her hair, smiling, and said, "Oh, vairy funny joke, Meester Bagman."**

"Wish he was joking," said James quietly.

**: "Joke?" Bagman repeated, bewildered. "No, no, not at all! Harry's name just came out of the Goblet of Fire!"**

**: Krum's thick eyebrows contracted slightly. Cedric was still looking politely bewildered.**

**: Fleur frowned. "But evidently zair 'as been a mistake," she said contemptuously to Bagman. "'E cannot compete. 'E is too young."**

"Exactly!" said Lily frantically. "He's far too young, and by the sounds of things, these tasks sound very dangerous!"

**: "Well ... it is amazing," said Bagman, rubbing his smooth chin and smiling down at Harry. "But, as you know, the age restriction was only imposed this year as an extra safety measure.**

"Which seems to have been overlooked in Harry's case!" said Lily.

"Couldn't have been Dumbledore, though - we saw the Age Line work fine with Fred and George!" said Remus.

**: And his name's come out of the Goblet ... I mean, I don't think there can be any ducking out at this stage ... it's down in the rules, you're obliged ... Harry will just have to do the best he -"**

**: The door behind them opened again, and a large group of people came in: Professor Dumbledore, followed closely by Mr Crouch, Professor Karkaroff, Madame Maxime, Professor McGonagall and Professor Snape. Harry heard the buzzing of the hundreds of students on the other side of the wall, before Professor McGonagall closed the door.**

"I hope Harry doesn't get blamed for this," said Lily.

"He won't," said James. "Dumbledore's clever enough to know when someone's lying."

**: "Madame Maxime!" said Fleur at once, striding over to her Headmistress. "Zey are saying zat zis little boy is to compete also!"**

**: Somewhere under Harry's numb disbelief, he felt a ripple of anger._ Little boy?_**

James and Lily smiled affectionately.

**: Madame Maxime had drawn herself up to her full, and considerable height. The top of her handsome head brushed the candle-filled chandelier, and her gigantic black satin bosom swelled.**

**: "What is ze meaning of zis, Dumbly-dorr?" she said imperiously.**

**: "I'd rather like to know that myself, Dumbledore," said Karkaroff. He was wearing a steely smile, and his blue eyes were like chips of ice. "_Two_ Hogwarts champions? I don't remember anyone telling me that the host school is allowed two champions - or have I not read the rules carefully enough?"**

**: He gave a short and nasty laugh.**

"I don't like this guy," said James suspiciously.

"I hope they all don't go blaming Harry - poor boy," said Lily, wringing her hands anxiously.

**: "_C'est impossible,_" said Madame Maxime, whose enormous hand with its many superb opals was resting upon Fleur's shoulder. "'Ogwarts cannot 'ave two champions. It is most injust."**

**: "We were under the impression that your Age Line would keep out younger contestants, Dumbledore," said Karkaroff, his steely smile still in place, though his eyes were colder than ever. "Otherwise, we would, of course, have brought along a wider selection of candidates from our own schools."**

**: "It's no one's fault but Potter's, Karkaroff," said Snape softly.**

"Shut up, you greasy, slimy git!" snapped Sirius angrily, and he began to scribble once more on his list.

**: His black eyes were alight with malice. "Don't go blaming Dumbledore for Potter's determination to break rules. He has been crossing lines ever since he arrived here -"**

**: "Thank you, Severus," said Dumbledore firmly, and Snape went quiet, though his eyes glinted malevolently through his curtain of greasy black hair.**

They all glared at the book, as though Snape's ugly greasy face was popping out of the books' pages. Indeed, if looks could kill, Snape would certainly be lying stiff.

**: Professor Dumbledore was now looking down at Harry, who looked right back at him, trying to discern the expression of the eyes behind the half-moon spectacles.**

**: "Did you put your name into the Goblet of Fire, Harry?" Dumbledore asked calmly.**

**: "No," said Harry. He was very aware of everybody watching him closely. Snape made a soft noise of impatient disbelief in the shadows.**

"I really want to kick him!" shouted James.

**: "Did you ask an older student to put it into the Goblet of Fire for you?" said Professor Dumbledore, ignoring Snape.**

**: "_No,_" said Harry vehemently.**

**: "Ah, but of course 'e is lying!" cried Madame Maxime. Snape was now shaking his head, his lip curling.**

"Right, that's it!" snarled James standing up in rage. "I'm kicking hard and putting the most embarrassing prank on him he will ever see when I next see that git!"

**: "He could not have crossed the Age Line," said Professor McGonagall sharply. "I am sure we are all agreed on that -"**

**: "Dumbly-dorr must 'ave made a mistake wiz ze line," said Madame Maxime, shrugging.**

"Excellent - Harry has McGonagall on his side," said Remus, sounding extremely pleased with this. "They'll have trouble pinning the blame on him. I would never even dare to argue McGonagall down!"

They all shuddered at the very prospect.

**: "It is possible, of course," said Dumbledore politely.**

**: "Dumbledore, you know perfectly well you did not make a mistake!" said Professor McGonagall angrily. "Really, what nonsense! Harry could not have crossed the line himself, and as Professor Dumbledore believes he did not persuade an older student to do it for him, I'm sure that should be good enough for everybody else!"**

"Damn straight, McGonagall!" they all shouted.

**: She shot a very angry look at Professor Snape.**

**: "Mr Crouch ... Mr Bagman," said Karkaroff, his voice unctuous once more, "you are our - er - objective judges. Surely you agree that this is most irregular?"**

**: Bagman wiped his round face with his handkerchief and looked at Mr Crouch, who was standing outside the circle of firelight, his face half hidden in shadow. He looked slightly eerie, the half darkness making him look much older, giving him an almost skull-like appearance. When he spoke, however, it was in his usual curt voice. "We must follow the rules, and the rules state clearly that those people whose names come out of the Goblet of Fire are bound to compete in the Tournament.**

**: "Well, Barty knows the rulebook back to front," said Bagman, beaming and turning back to Karkaroff and Madame Maxime, as though the matter was now closed.**

"I don't like this, one bit," said James flatly.

"Yes, but it's looking like Harry will have to compete in the tournament after all," said Lily, looking at him, worry shining in her eyes.

"He'll be all right," said Sirius. "I'm coming back up, remember! I'll help him through the tasks, and if anyone tried to hurt him - I'll have them!"

**: "I insist upon resubmitting the names of the rest of my students," said Karkaroff. He had dropped his unctuous tone and his smile now. His face wore a very ugly look indeed. "You will set up the Goblet of Fire once more, and we will continue adding names until each school has two champions. It's only fair, Dumbledore."**

**: "But Karkaroff, it doesn't work like that," said Bagman. "The Goblet of Fire's just gone out - it won't re-ignite until the start of the next Tournament -"**

**: "- in which Durmstrang will most certainly not be competing!" exploded Karkaroff. "After all our meetings and negotiations and compromises, I little expected something of this nature to occur! I have half a mind to leave now!"**

"So why don't you, and you can stop making our ears ache with your whinging!" snapped Sirius.

**: "Empty threat, Karkaroff," growled a voice from near the door. "You can't leave your champion here. He's got to compete. They've all got to compete. Binding Magical contract, like Dumbledore said. Convenient, eh?"**

**: Moody had just entered the room. He limped towards the fire, and with every right step he took, there was a loud _clunk._**

**: "Convenient?" said Karkaroff. "I'm afraid I don't understand you, Moody."**

**: Harry could tell he was trying to sound disdainful, as though what Moody was saying was barely worth his notice, but his hands gave him away; they had balled themselves into fists.**

"Bit scared of Moody as well, methinks!" said Remus happily.

"I'm glad Moody's there - keeps Snape in check, and I don't like this Karkaroff guy, either," said James grimly.

**: "Don't you? said Moody quietly. "It's very simple, Karkaroff. Someone put Potter's name in that Goblet knowing he'd have to compete if it came out."**

**: "Evidently, someone 'oo wished to give 'Ogwarts two bites at ze apple!" said Madame Maxime.**

"I quite agree, Madame Maxime," said Karkaroff, bowing to her.

"I'm actually surprised that they haven't started accusing Dumbledore," said Remus thoughtfully. "I mean, I know he had nothing to do with it, of course, but they may think he does. Think about it ... he made up the Age Line, he's been looking after the Goblet of Fire, his school now has two champions ..."

"It probably is going through their heads, but they just don't have the nerve to accuse him full out," said Sirius.

**: "I shall be lodging complaints with the Ministry of Magic _and_ the International Confederation of Wizards -" **

: "If anyone's got reason to complain, it's Potter," growled Moody, "but ... funny thing ... I don't hear _him_ saying a word ... ""Probably because he's scared out of his wits!" said Lily, wishing more than ever that she was there with him.

"He'd sound very good in there with all those people if he was crying that he didn't want to be in it," said Sirius.

"He's probably too nervous - can't believe what's going on ..." said James quietly.  
**   
: "Why should 'e complain?" burst out Fleur Delacour, stamping her foot. "'E 'as ze chance to compete, 'asn't 'e? We 'ave all been 'oping to be chosen for weeks and weeks. Ze honour for our schools! A thousand Galleons in prize money - zis is a chance many would die for!" **

: "Maybe someone's hoping Potter _is_ going to die for it," said Moody, with the merest trace of a growl."Don't say things like that!" said Lily frantically. "That's horrible!""I hope he's just being paranoid," said James, but not really believing it. He remembered the very first chapter in which Voldemort was planning Harry's murder ... was this part of his plan? Smuggling Harry into the Tournament? **: An extremely tense silence followed these words.**

: Ludo Bagman, who was looking very anxious indeed, bounced nervously up and down on his feet and said, "Moody old man ... what a thing to say!": "We all know Professor Moody considers the morning wasted if he hasn't discovered six plots to murder him before lunchtime," said Karkaroff loudly. "Apparently he is now teaching his students to fear assassination, too. An odd quality in a Defence Against the Dark Arts teacher, Dumbledore, but no doubt you had your reasons.""Yeah, he's one of the best Aurors the Ministry ever had - what more would you want?" said James furiously.  
**   
: "Imagining things, am I?" growled Moody. "Seeing things, eh? It was a skilled witch or wizard who put the boy's name in that Goblet ..."**

:"Ah, what evidence is zere of zat?" said Madame Maxime, throwing up her huge hands.

: "Because they hoodwinked a very powerful magical object!" said Moody. "It would have needed an exceptionally strong Confundus Charm to bamboozle that Goblet into forgetting that only three schools compete in the Tournament ... I'm guessing they submitted Potter's name under a fourth school, to make sure he was the only one in his category ..." 

"He seems to be very well informed about this," muttered Sirius suspiciously.

"Probably because he's the only one who's given this some reasonable thought," said Remus.**: "You seem to have given this a great deal of thought, Moody," said Karkaroff coldly, "and a very ingenious theory it is - though, of course, I heard you recently got it into your head that one of your birthday presents contained a cunningly disguised basilisk egg, and smashed it to pieces before realising it was a carriage clock.  
**  
In spite of themselves faced with this tense situation, they chuckled at Karkaroff's jibe. **: So you'll understand if we don't take you entirely seriously ..."**

: "There are those who'll turn innocent occasions to their advantage," Moody retorted in a menacing voice. "It's my job to think the way Dark Wizards do, Karkaroff - as you ought to remember ..."

: "Alastor!" said Dumbledore warningly. Harry wondered for a moment whom he was speaking to, but then realised "Mad-Eye" could hardly be Moody's real first name.  
  
"What did Moody mean by that?" said James anxiously.  
"Maybe Karkaroff was a Death Eater?" said Sirius. "It wouldn't surprise me!"

"Yes, but he's be locked up if Moody caught him," said Lily. "Wouldn't he?" 

They all shrugged their shoulders.

**: Moody fell silent, though still surveying Karkaroff with satisfaction- Karkaroff's face was burning.**

**: "How this situation arose, we do not know," said Dumbledore, speaking to everyone gathered in the room. "It seems to me, however, that we have no choice but to accept it. Both Cedric and Harry have been chosen to compete in the tournament. This, therefore, they will do ..."**

**: "Ah, but Dumbly-dorr -"**

**: "My dear Madame Maxime, if you have an alternative, I would be delighted to hear it."**

**: Dumbledore waited, but Madame Maxime did not speak, she merely glared. She wasn't the only one, either. Snape looked furious; Karkaroff livid. Bagman, however, looked rather excited.**

**: "Well, shall we crack on, then?" he said, rubbing his hands together and smiling around the room. "Got to give the champions their instructions, haven't we? Barty, want to do the honours?"**

**: Mr Crouch seemed to come out of a deep reverie.**

**: "Yes," he said. "Yes ... the first task ..."**

**: He moved forward into the firelight. Close to, Harry thought he looked ill. There were dark shadows beneath his eyes, and a thin, papery look about his wrinkled skin that had not been there at the Quidditch World Cup.**

"He's obviously not as comfortable at home without the House-elf," said James, frowning.

**: "The first task is designed to test your daring," he told Harry, Cedric, Fleur and Krum, **

"Viktor," said Remus.

"What?"

"Viktor - his first name is Viktor, why say Krum when the others were referred to with their first names?"

**: "so we are not going to be telling you what it is. Courage in the face of the unknown is an important quality in a wizard ... very important ...**

**: "The first task will take place on November the twenty-fourth, in front of the other students and the panel of judges.**

**: "The champions are not permitted to ask for or accept help of any kind from their teachers to complete the tasks in the Tournament. The champions will face the first challenge armed only with their wands. They will receive information about the second task when the first is over. Owing to the demanding and time-consuming nature of the Tournament, the champions are exempted from end-of-year tests."**

"Awwww," they all whined. But they then realised that this was a benefit to Harry, and not so unfair on themselves, so they cheered.

"McGonagall always gives hard ones for fourth years, as well - excellent, Harry!" said Sirius.

**: Mr Crouch turned to look at Dumbledore. "I think that's all, is it, Albus?"**

**: "I think so," said Dumbledore, who was looking at Mr Crouch with mild concern. "Are you sure you wouldn't like to stay at Hogwarts tonight, Barty?"**

**: "No, Dumbledore, I must get back to the Ministry," said Mr Crouch. "It is a very busy, very difficult time at the moment ... I've left young Weatherby in charge ... very enthusiastic ... a little over enthusiastic, is truth be told ..."**

"Damn straight!" they all said, thinking of Percy Weasley.

**: "You'll come and have a drink before you go, at least?" said Dumbledore.**

**: "Come on, Barty, I'm staying!" said Bagman brightly. "It's all happening at Hogwarts now, you know, much more exciting here than at the office!"**

"At least Bagman's enjoying the atmosphere!" said James, smiling.

"Yeah, the other guy sounds like he needs a broom removed from his -"

But Sirius was cut off by James throwing a pillow at him before he said anything rude.

**: "I think not, Ludo," said Crouch, with a touch of his old impatience.**

: "Professor Karkaroff - Madame Maxime- a nightcap?" said Dumbledore.

: But Madame Maxime had already put his arm around Fleur's shoulders, and was leading her swiftly out of the room. Harry could hear them both talking very fast in French as they went off into the Great Hall. Karkaroff beckoned to Krum, and they, too, exited, though in silence.

: "Harry, Cedric, I suggest you go up to bed," said Dumbledore, smiling at both of them. "I am sure Gryffindor and Hufflepuff are waiting to celebrate with you, and it would be a shame to deprive them of this excellent excuse to make a great deal of mess and noise." "Not that we ever need an excuse to make mess and noise," said James, smiling at Sirius.

"Nope!" **: Harry glanced at Cedric, who nodded, and they left together. The Great Hall was deserted now; the candles had burnt low, giving the jagged smiles of the pumpkins an eerie, flickering quality.**

: "So," said Cedric, with a slight smile. "We're playing against each other again!" 

: "I s'pose," said Harry. He really couldn't think of anything else to say. The inside of his head seemed to be in complete disarray, as though his brain had been ransacked.

: "So ... tell me ..." said Cedric, as they reached the Entrance Hall, which was now lit only by torches in the absence of the Goblet of Fire. "How _did_ you get your name in?"

: "I didn't," said Harry, staring up at him. "I didn't put it in. I was telling the truth."

: "Ah ... OK," said Cedric. Harry could tell Cedric didn't believe him. "Well ... see you, then.""Aww, my poor boy," said Lily.

"I don't think any of the kids will believe him," said James sadly.

"Ron and Hermione will be with him, though," said Remus fairly.**: Instead of going up the marble staircase, Cedric headed for a door to its right. Harry stood listening to him going down the stone steps beyond it, then, slowly, started to climb the marble ones.**

: Was anyone except Ron and Hermione going to believe him, or would they all think he'd put himself in for the Tournament?  
  
"The latter, Harry ... unfortunately," said Remus.

"Why unfortunately?" asked Sirius.

"Because it will lead to jealousy from other younger students," said Remus.

"And outrage from Hufflepuffs because their champion is the proper one, really," said James.

"But that's not Harry's fault - he didn't put his name in!" cried Lily.  
"That's the point, though - none of them will believe that!" said James.

**: Yet how could anyone think that, when he was facing competitors who'd have three years' more magical education than he had - when he was now facing tasks which not only sounded very dangerous, but which were to be performed in front of hundreds of people? **"But kids don't think like that, Harry, when they've lost out," said James miserably.**: Yes, he'd thought about it ... he'd fantasised about it ... but it had been a joke, an idle sort of dream ... he'd never really, _seriously_ considered entering ... **

: But someone else had considered it ... Someone else had wanted him in the Tournament, and had made sure he was entered. Why? To give him a treat? He didn't think so, somehow ...   
  
"Neither do I, which is what is worrying me," said James, wringing his hands.**: To see him make a fool of himself? Well, they were likely to get their wish ... **

: But to get him _killed_? Was Moody just being his usual paranoid self? Couldn't someone have put Harry's name in the Goblet as a trick, a practical joke? did anyone really want him dead? 

: Harry was able to answer that at once.Lily felt her entire body go cold, as she followed Harry's trail of thought, and willed herself not to go there, but she couldn't help it. She looked at James, and by the look on his face, he was also following the same thoughts.**: Yes, someone wanted him dead, someone had wanted him dead ever since he had been a year old ... Lord Voldemort. But how could Voldemort have ensured that Harry's name got into the Goblet of Fire? Voldemort was supposed to be far away, in some distant country, in hiding, alone ... feeble and powerless ... **"But what about the dream at the beginning?" said Sirius, now looking anxious himself. "I mean, he was in this country with Wormtail ..."

His voice trailed off because it was painful to think that Wormtail in the books and the Peter they knew as the same person.  
**   
: Yet in his dream he had had, just before he had awoken with his scar hurting, Voldemort had not been alone ... he had been talking to Wormtail ... plotting Harry's murder ...   
**  
"I swear, if Peter has anything to do with this ..." James growled, than he also trailed off, his fists balled and shaking.

**: Harry got a shock to find himself facing the Fat Lady already. He had barely noticed where his feet were carrying him. It was also a surprise to see that she was not alone in her frame. The wizened witch who had flitted into her neighbour's painting when he had joined the champions downstairs was now sitting smugly beside the Fat Lady. She must have dashed through every picture lining seven staircases to reach here before him. Both she and the Fat Lady were looking down at him with the keenest interest.**

"Why do women gossip so much?" Sirius asked Lily.

"Men do it as well," she said, raising her eyebrows.

"I suppose," said Sirius shrugging.

**: "Well, well, well," said the Fat Lady, "Violet's just told me everything. Who's just been chosen as school champion, then?"**

**: "Balderdash," said Harry dully.**

**: "It most certainly isn't!" said the pale witch indignantly.**

**: "No, no, Vi, it's the password," said the Fat Lady soothingly, and she swung forwards on her hinges to let Harry into the common room.**

"Great job of keeping the password secret there - tells the first person to bring her gossip!" muttered James.

**: The blast of noise that met Harry's ears when the portrait opened almost knocked him backwards. Next thing he knew, he was being wrenched inside the common room by about a dozen pairs of hands, and was facing the whole of Gryffindor house, all of whom were screaming, applauding and whistling.**

**: "You should've told us you'd entered!" bellowed Fred; he looked half annoyed, half deeply impressed.**

**: "How did you do it without getting a beard? Brilliant!" roared George.**

"I don't think Harry's liking this reception too much," said James sadly.

**: "I didn't," Harry said. "I don't know how -"**

**: But Angelina now swooped down upon him. "Oh, if it couldn't be me, at least it's a Gryffindor -"**

**: "You'll be able to pay back Diggory for that last Quidditch match, Harry!" shrieked Katie Bell, another of the Gryffindor Chasers.**

**: "We've got food, Harry, come and have some -"**

**: "I'm not hungry, I had enough at the feast -"**

**: But nobody wanted to hear that he wasn't hungry; nobody wanted to hear that he hadn't put his name in the Goblet; not one single person seemed to have noticed that he wasn't at all in the mood to celebrate ... Lee Jordan had unearthed a Gryffindor banner from somewhere, and he insisted on draping it around Harry like a cloak. Harry couldn't get away; whenever he tried to sidle over to the staircase up to the dormitories, the crowd around him closed ranks, forcing another Butterbeer on him, stuffing crisps and peanuts into his hands ... Everyone wanted to know how he had one it, how he had tricked Dumbledore's Age Line, and managed to get his name into the Goblet ...**

**: "I didn't," he said, over and over again, "I don't know how it happened."**

**: But for all the notice anyone took, he might just as well not have answered at all.**

"Aww ... no one wants to listen properly," said Lily.

**: "I'm tired!" he bellowed finally, after nearly half an hour. "No, seriously, George - I'm going to bed -"**

**: He wanted more than anything to find Ron and Hermione, to find a bit of sanity, but neither of them seemed to be in the common room. Insisting that he needed to sleep, and almost flattening the little Creevey brothers as they attempted to waylay him at the foot of the stairs, Harry managed to shake everyone off, and climbed up to the dormitory as fast as he could. **

"At last - he's going to see them!" said Lily, wringing her hands.

**: To his relief, he found Ron was lying on his bed in the otherwise empty dormitory, still fully dressed. He looked up when Harry slammed the door behind him.**

**: "Where've you been?" Harry said.**

**: "Oh, hello," said Ron.**

**: He was grinning, but it looked a very odd, strained sort of grin.**

James looked puzzled at this, but said nothing.

**: Harry suddenly became aware that he was still wearing the scarlet Gryffindor banner that Lee had tied around him. He hastened to take it off, but it was knotted very tightly. Ron lay on the bed without moving, watching Harry struggle to remove it.**

"Why's Ron acting so strangely?" said Sirius.

The others shrugged.

James was looking more and more worried.

**: "So," he said, when Harry had finally removed the banner and thrown it into a corner. "Congratulations."**

**: "What d'you mean, congratulations?"said Harry, staring at Ron. There was definitely something wrong with the way Ron was smiling; it was almost like a grimace.**

"I hope he's not thinking Harry's got into this by his own doing," said Remus, frowning.

**: "Well ... no one else got across the Age Line," said Ron. "Not even Fred and George. What did you use - the Invisibility Cloak?"**

James frowned deeply. "He does by the sound of things ..." he said, "Jealousy?"

"I hope not," said Lily worriedly.

**: The Invisibility Cloak wouldn't have got me over that line," said Harry slowly.**

**: "Oh, right," said Ron. "I thought you might've told me if it was the Cloak ... because it would've covered both of us, wouldn't it? But you found another way, did you?"**

**: "Listen," said Harry, "I didn't put my name in that Goblet. Someone else must've done it."**

**: Ron raised his eyebrows. "What would they do that for?"**

**: "I dunno," said Harry. He felt it would sound very melodramatic to say "to kill me".**

**: Ron's eyebrows rose so high that they were in danger of disappearing into his hair.**

**: "It's OK, you know, you can tell _me _the truth," he said. "If you don't want anyone else to know, fine, but I don't know why you're bothering to lie, you didn't get into trouble for it, did you? That friend of the Fat Lady's, that Violet, she's already told us all, Dumbledore's letting you enter. A thousand Galleons prize money, eh? And you don't have to do end-of-year tests either ..."**

**: "I didn't put my name in that Goblet!" said Harry, starting to feel angry.**

"I think they're going to fall out over this ... Ron obviously doesn't want to believe that Harry didn't do it," said James, feeling slightly annoyed.

**: "Yeah, OK," said on, in exactly the same sceptical one as Cedric. "Only you said this morning you'd have done it last night, and no one would've seen you ... I'm not stupid, you know."**

: "You're doing a really good impression of it," Harry snapped.

James winced. He didn't like watching this ... This was his son and his best friend, and it reminded him of all the times he'd argued with Sirius.

**: "Yeah?" said Ron, and there was no trace of a grin, forced or otherwise, on his face now. "You want to get to bed, Harry, I expect you'll need to be up early tomorrow for a photo-call or something."**

"Hey, shut up! It's not his fault all this has happened to him!" snapped James.

"Just because you'd be jumping for joy if it was you!" said Sirius.

Remus opened his mouth to say something to them, but they both looked at him apologetically, so he said nothing.

**: He wrenched the hangings shut around his four-poster, leaving Harry standing there by the door, staring at the dark red velvet curtains, now hiding one of the few people he had been sure would believe him.**

"Oh, my poor Harry!" said Lily, tears in her eyes again.

"Ron'll come round, Lily. Friends fall out over stupid things all the time!" said James reassuringly.


	18. Chapter 18

**DISCLAIMER: NOT MINE**

**BETA:loonygrl90**

**CHAPTER EIGHTEEN**

: THE WEIGHING OF THE WANDS: When Harry woke up on Sunday morning, it took him a moment to remember why he felt so miserable and worried. Then the memory of the previous night rolled over him. He sat up and ripped back the curtains of his own four-poster, intending to talk to Ron, to force Ron to believe him - only to find that Ron's bed was empty; he had obviously gone down to breakfast.

: Harry dressed and went down the spiral staircase into the common room. The moment he appeared, the people who had already finished breakfast broke into applause again. The prospect of going down into the Great Hall and facing the rest of the Gryffindors, all treating him like some sort of hero, was not inviting; it was that, however, or stay here and allow himself to be cornered by the Creevey brothers, who were both beckoning frantically to him to join them. He walked resolutely over to the portrait hole, pushed it open, climbed out of it and found himself face to face with Hermione.They all held their breath, hoping that she, at least, would believe Harry.   
**   
: "Hello," she said, holding up a stack of toast, which she was carrying in a napkin. "I brought you this ... want to go for a walk?"**

: "Good idea," said Harry, gratefully.They breathed again, relieved.  
**   
: They went downstairs, crossed the Entrance Hall quickly without looking in at the Great Hall, and were soon striding across the lawn towards the lake, where the Durmstrang ship was moored, reflected blackly in the water. It was chilly morning, and they kept moving, munching their toast, as Harry told Hermione exactly what had happened after he had left the Gryffindor table the night before. To his immense relief, Hermione accepted his story without question.**"Excellent," said James happily. "Show's that her head is still working." **: "Well, of course, I knew you hadn't entered yourself," she said, when he'd finished telling her about the scene in the chamber off the Hall. "The look on your face when Dumbledore read out your name! But the question is, who _did_ put it in? Because Moody's right, Harry ... I don't think any student could have done it ... they'd never be able to fool the Goblet, or get over Dumbledore's -"**

: "Have you seen Ron?" Harry interrupted.

: Hermione hesitated.

: "Erm ... yes ... he was at breakfast," she said.

: "Does he still think he entered myself?"

: "Well ... no, I don't think so ... not _really_," said Hermione awkwardly.

: "What's that supposed to mean, not _really_?"

: "Oh, Harry, isn't it obvious?" Hermione said despairingly. "He's jealous!"

: "_Jealous_?" Harry said incredulously. "Jealous of what? He wants to make a prat of himself in front of the whole school, does he?""Well, obviously not, Harry, but ... I don't know, but getting angry isn't going to help matters!" said James in frustration.**: "Look," said Hermione patiently, "it's always you who gets all the attention, you know it is. I know it's not your fault," she added quickly, seeing Harry open his mouth furiously, "I know you don't ask for it ... but - well - you know, Ron's got all those brothers to compete against at home, and you're his best friend, and you're really famous - he's always shunted to one side whenever people see you, and he puts up with it, and he never mentions it, but I suppose this is just one time too many ..."   
**  
"Yeah, but again, that's not Harry's fault," began Sirius, but he realised it was pointless to argue, so he stopped and simply muttered angrily to himself instead.

**: "Great," said Harry bitterly. "Really great. Tell him from me I'll swap any time he wants. Tell him from me he's welcome to it ... people gawping at my forehead everywhere I go ..."**

: "I'm not telling him anything," Hermione said shortly. "Tell him yourself, it's the only way to sort this out."

: "I'm not running around after him trying to make him grow up!" Harry said, so loudly that several owls in a nearby tree took flight in alarm. "Maybe he'll believe I'm not enjoying myself once I've got my neck broken or -"  
  
"Harry! Don't say things like that!" cried Lily shrilly, wringing her hands.

**: "That's not funny," said Hermione quietly. "That's not funny at all." She looked extremely anxious. "Harry, I've been thinking -you know what we've got to do, don't you? Straight away, the moment we get back to the castle?"**

: "Yeah, give Ron a good kick up the -" "Harry Potter, if you finish that sentence, I swear that I will materialise right in front of you and give you such a scolding!" said Lily warningly.

**: "_Write to Sirius_. You've got to tell him what's happened. He asked you to keep him posted on everything that's going on at Hogwarts ... It's almost like he expected something like this to happen. I brought some parchment and a quill out with me -"**"Yeah, tell me, Harry!" said Sirius enthusiastically. "I'll help you!"   
**  
: "Come off it," said Harry, looking around to check that they couldn't be overheard; but the grounds were quite deserted. "He came back to the country just because my scar twinged. He'll probably come bursting right into the castle if I tell him someone's entered me for the Triwizard Tournament -"**

: "_He'd want you to tell him_," said Hermione sternly. "He's going to find out anyway -""Yeah, Harry - you can tell me - I'll help!" said Sirius, sounding slightly put out that Harry did not do it straight away, and was hesitating now.**: "How?" **"Durr, Harry - you're famous for defeating Voldemort ... and the Tournament's famous ... you try and keep the papers from talking about it!" said James.**: "Harry, this isn't going to be kept quiet," said Hermione, very seriously. "This Tournament's famous, and you're famous, I'll be really surprised if there isn't anything in the _Daily Prophet_ about you competing ... You're already in half the books about You-Know-Who, you know ... and Sirius would rather hear it from you, I know he would."**

: "OK, OK, I'll write to him," said Harry, throwing his last piece of toast into the lake. They both stood and watched it floating there for a moment, before a large tentacle rose out of the water and scooped it beneath the surface. Then they returned to the castle.

: "Whose owl am I going to use?" Harry said, as they climbed the stairs. "He told me not to use Hedwig again.""Use Ron's owl I gave him," said Sirius, as though this was the obvious answer.

"Yeah, but Ron isn't speaking to him. He could use a school owl," suggested Remus.

"I hate this," said James grimly. "I really hate this."

**: "Ask Ron if you can borrow -"**

: "I'm not asking Ron anything," Harry said flatly."The stubbornness of a Potter," said Lily, smiling at James. "Obviously runs in the family."

**: "Well, borrow one of the school owls, then, anyone can use them," said Hermione.**

: They went up to the Owlery. Hermione gave Harry a piece of parchment, a quill and a bottle of ink, then strolled around the long lined of perches, looking at all the different owls, while Harry sat down against a wall and wrote his letter.: _Dear Sirius,  
_  
: _You told me to keep you posted on what's happening at Hogwarts, so here goes - I don't know if you've heard, but the Triwizard Tournament's happening this year and on Saturday night I got picked as a fourth champion. I don't know who put my name in the Goblet of Fire, because I didn't. The other Hogwarts champion is Cedric Diggory, from Hufflepuff._

"Good, good boy, Harry" said James, "Sirius'll know what to do! He'll help you!"

"Damn straight!" said Sirius.

**: He paused at this point, thinking. He had an urge to say something about the large weight of anxiety that seemed to have settled inside his chest since last night, but he couldn't think how to translate this into words, so he simply dipped his quill back into the ink bottle and wrote: : _Hope you're OK, and Buckbeak - Harry._**"That's sweet," said Lily, smiling at Sirius.

**: "Finished," he told Hermione getting to his feet and brushing straw off his robes. At this, Hedwig came fluttering down onto his shoulder, and held out her leg.**"Oh, God ... Hedwig will be in a right huff with him if she doesn't take it, said James, his eyes widening.

"Great ... just great ..." said Sirius bitterly. "How come life is so crap for Harry sometimes at Hogwarts?"

**: "I can't use you," Harry told her, looking around for the school owls. "I've got to use one of these ..."**

: Hedwig gave a very loud hoot, and took off so suddenly that her talons cut into his shoulder."Hey! Just because he's not using you for one precious flight, doesn't give you the right to harm my son, owl!" said Lily sternly, and she was about to get up, as though to dive into the book, but James grabbed her, and told her to calm down, all the while looking at her with a startled expression.

"Dunno what you've let yourself in for, mate," said Sirius in an undertone. "She's wild, man!"

"Tell me about it," said James. Then, a cheeky grin flitted on his face.

**: She kept her back to Harry all the time he was tying his letter to the leg of a large barn owl. When the barn owl had flown off, Harry reached out to stroke Hedwig, but she clicked her beak furiously and soared up into the rafters out of reach.**

: "First Ron, then you," said Harry angrily. "_This isn't my fault_.""Poor Harry," said James.

"Things'll get better once I get that letter!" said Sirius. "I'm great at cheering people up! Remember the time I managed to place Snape into his own cauldron without touching him?"

James burst out laughing with the sheer memory of it.

**: If Harry had thought that matters would improve once everyone got used to the idea of him being champion, the following day showed him how mistaken he was. He could no longer avoid the rest of the school once he was back at lessons - and it was clear that the rest of the school, just like the Gryffindors, thought Harry had entered himself for the Tournament. Unlike the Gryffindors, however, they did not seem impressed.**

"Well, no they wouldn't, Harry - especially the Hufflepuffs," said James sadly.

**: The Hufflepuffs, who were usually on excellent terms with the Gryffindors, had turned remarkably cold towards the whole lot of them. One Herbology lesson was enough to demonstrate this. It was plain that the Hufflepuffs felt that Harry had stolen their champion's glory; a feeling exacerbated, perhaps, by the fact that Hufflepuff house rarely got any glory, and that Cedric was one of the few who had ever given them any, having beaten Gryffindor once at Quidditch.**

"I actually feel a bit sorry for them," said Remus. "Not that I'm saying it's Harry's fault!" He added quickly, as the others looked at him furiously.

**: Ernie Macmillan and Justin Finch-Fletchley, with whom Harry normally got on very well, did not talk to him even though they were re-potting Bouncing Bulbs at the same tray - though they did laugh rather unpleasantly when one of the Bouncing Bulbs wriggles free from Harry's grip and smacked him hard in the face.**

"Hey!" cried Lily, but James grabbed her and shut her up before she could rant on any more.

**: Ron wasn't talking to Harry either. Hermione sat between them, making forced conversation, but though both answered her normally, they avoided making eye contact with each other. Harry thought even Professor Sprout seemed distant with him - but then, she was Head of Hufflepuff House.**

"Aww," said Lily sympathetically.

"That's terrible - you'd think the teachers would understand!" said Sirius in outrage.

**: He would have been looking forward to seeing Hagrid under normal circumstances, but Care of Magical Creatures meant seeing the Slytherins, too - the first time he would come face to face with them since becoming champion.**James thought that Sirius growled, but Sirius looked up sheepishly, muttered "Sorry" and then massaged his stomach.

"Hungry?" said James, raising his eyebrows.

"How'd you guess?"   
**   
: Predictably, Malfoy arrived at Hagrid's cabin with his familiar sneer firmly in place.**

: "Ah, look, boys, it's the champion," he said to Crabbe and Goyle, the moment he got within earshot of Harry.

"Ah, look, boys, it's the amazing bouncing ferret!" said Sirius harshly.

"If I were there, he'd've become a ferret well before he'd opened his mouth!" snarled James.

Remus, however, laughed at the memory of Draco, the amazing bouncing ferret.  
**   
: "Got your autograph books? Better get a signature now, because I doubt he's going to be around much longer ... Half the Triwizard champions have died ... how long d'you reckon you're going to last, Potter? Ten minutes into the first task's my bet." **"You'd lose," said James, wincing.

"And I'd not get caught if I was there and I'd transfigured your head into a dragon's dungheap," said Sirius, smiling sweetly.

James' stomach rumbled at that point. He massaged it, got up and muttered something about finding out when dinner would be ready.

"MUM!" they all heard him shout.

"I'm right here, James, there's no need to shout!" replied Mrs Potter.

"Oh, hi Mum, when's dinner ready?"

"It's ready now, I was just on my way up to tell you guys!" She walked into James room as she was saying this and saw Sirius at the bed, smiling sweetly. She smiled back, but knew that he must have been up to something. That was exactly the way James smiled when_ he _was up to something.

"Come on, then, boys, and lady!" she added to Lily.

"How come it was so long?" asked James, as they all trotted down the stairs.

"Well, it would have been ready sooner had your father not insist on _helping_ me. Because he interfered, a spoon somehow managed to become wedged in his ear, and he's trying to work out how to get it out."

They all laughed loudly when the emerged into the kitchen, where Mr Potter was sitting. looking sulky, his ear red, and a spoon in his hand.

They all ate, talking happily of Mr Potter's recent adventure, and when desert was brought up, Mr Potter insisted that he'd eat it with a fork, and demanded at once that his wife drop the spoon in her hand for fear of getting hurt.

The Marauders and Lily gradually meandered back to James' bedroom, laughing and joking.

"Ah," said James finally, wiping his eyes, and settling himself down into a comfortable arm-chair next to his bed, "Where were we up to?" 

Remus went to the bookcase, where he'd hidden the book - I mean who would suspect a known dangerous book to be hidden on display on a bookcase?

**: Crabbe and Goyle guffawed sycophantically, but Malfoy had to stop there, because Hagrid emerged from the back of his cabin, holding a teetering tower of crates, each containing a very large Blast-Ended Skrewt. To the class's horror, Hagrid proceeded to explain that the reason the Skrewts had been killing each other was an excess of pent-up energy, and that the solution would be for each of the class to fix a leash on a Skrewt and take it for a short walk.**"He has got to be joking," said James confidently, "right?" Then he remembered that this was Hagrid taking the lesson.

"You'd think that he was, but it's not gonna happen," said Remus.  
**  
: The only good thing about this plan was that it distracted Malfoy completely.**"Well it'd not hard to distract something that has dung as an excuse for brains," said Sirius.**: "Take this thing for a walk?" he repeated in disgust, staring into one of the boxes. "And where exactly are we supposed to fix the leash? Around the sting, the blasting end or the sucker?" **"You know something, I'm starting to like the way this lesson's going!" said Sirius smiling. "Perhaps Malfoy will have another tragic accident." **: "Roun' the middle," said Hagrid, demonstrating. "Er - yeh might want ter put on yer dragon-hide gloves, jus' as an extra precaution, like. Harry - you come an' help me with this big one ..."**

: Hagrid's real intention, however, was to talk to Harry away from the rest of the class.

: He waited until everyone else had set off with their Skrewts, then turned to Harry and said, very seriously, "So - yer competin', Harry. In the Tournament. School champion."

: "One of the champions," Harry corrected him.

: Hagrid's beetle-black eyes looked very anxious under his wild eyebrows. "No idea who put yeh in fer it, Harry?""Excellent! Knew Hagrid would believe him!" said James, sounding thoroughly relieved.**: "You believe I didn't do it, then?" said Harry, concealing with difficulty the rush of gratitude he felt at Hagrid's words.**

: "'Course I do," Hagrid grunted. "Yeh say it wasn' you, and' I believe yeh - an' Dumbledore believes yer, an' all." 

: "Wish I knew who _did_ do it," said Harry bitterly. "So do I," said Sirius, "then I could sort them out."   
**   
: The pair of them looked out over the lawn; the class was widely scattered now, and all in great difficulty. The Skrewts were now over three feet long, and extremely powerful. No longer shell-less and colourless, they had developed a kind of thick, greyish shiny armour. They looked like a cross between giant scorpions and elongated crabs - but still without recognisable heads or eyes. They had become immensely strong and very hard to control.**"Only Hagrid could find love in such creatures," said James sarcastically.

**: "Look like they're havin' fun, don' they?" Hagrid said happily. Harry assumed he was talking about the Skrewts, because his classmates certainly weren't; every now and then, with an alarming _bang_, one of the Skrewt's ends would explode, causing it to shoot forward several yards, and more than one person was being dragged along on their stomach, trying desperately to get back on their feet.**

Lily shook her head, as though trying to fathom Hagrid's fascination with such creatures.

**: "Ah, I don' know, Harry," Hagrid sighed suddenly, looking back down at him with a worried expression on his face. "School champion ... everythin' seems ter happen ter you, doesn' it?"**

"That's not Harry's fault!" snapped Lily.

**: Harry didn't answer. Yes, everything did seem to happen to him ... that was more or less what Hermione had said as they had walked around the lake, and that was the reason, according to her, that Ron was no longer talking to him.**

"Ron will come round, Harry - I promise," said James.

"You can't promise him anything of the kind!" said Lily.

"Yes I can," said James defiantly.

"Of course you can't - you're dead there, you can't do anything to make Ron see sense, that's up to Harry to do!"

"She right, you know," said Remus. "Harry and Ron need to sort this one out - everyone else should stay out of it."

James folded his arms tightly.

**: The next few days were some of Harry's worst at Hogwarts. The closest he had ever come to feeling like this had been during those months, in his second year, when a large part of the school had suspected him of attacking his fellow students. But Ron had been on his side then. He thought he could have coped with the rest of the school's behaviour if he could just have had Ron back as a friend, but he wasn't going to try and make Ron talk to him if Ron didn't want to. Nevertheless, it was lonely, with dislike pouring in on him from all sides.**

**: He could understand the Hufflepuffs' attitudes, even if he didn't like it; they had their own champion to support.**

"That's good that Harry can see that," said Remus. "Shows the makings of a great mind."

"Well, what else would you expect from my offspring?" said James airily.

**: He expected nothing else than vicious insults from the Slytherins - he was highly unpopular there and always had been, as he had helped Gryffindor beat them so often, both at Quidditch and in the Inter-House Championship. But he had hoped the Ravenclaws might have found it in their hearts to support him as much as Cedric. He was wrong, however.**

"Of course he is," said Sirius. "They'll just think you're trying to give yourself more fame!"

**: Most Ravenclaws seemed to think that he had been desperate to earn himself a bit more fame by tricking the Goblet into accepting his name.**

**: Then there was the fact that Cedric looked the part of a champion much more then he did. Exceptionally handsome, with his straight nose, dark hair and grey eyes, it was hard to say who was receiving more admiration these days, Cedric or Viktor Krum. Harry actually saw the same sixth-year girls who had been so keen to get Krum's autograph, begging Cedric to sign their schoolbags one lunchtime.**

Sirius yawned widely and stretched, "That happens to me all the time! In fact, it happens so much, that I'm often late for dinner!"

Remus gave a look that said plainly, "In your dreams, Sirius!"

Lily gave him the same sort of look, and added, "Well, it's true that you're often late for dinner, Sirius, but that's usually because you're on detention or getting a detention with him!" She jerked her head in James direction.

"What can we say," said James bored, "We're two very talented and misunderstood people."

**: Meanwhile there was no reply from Sirius, Hedwig was refusing to come anywhere near him, Professor Trelawney was predicting his death with even more certainty than usual, and he did so badly at Summoning Charms in Professor Flitwick's class that he was given extra homework - the only person to get any, apart from Neville.**"Ow, it's affecting his school work!" said Lily angrily. "How could Dumbledore let this happen?"

"It's not Dumbledore's fault!" said James.

"I know it's not, but he's the Headmaster, therefore easier to blame!" **: "It's really not that difficult, Harry," Hermione tried to reassure him, as they left Flitwick's class - she had been making objects zoom across the room to her all lesson, as though she was some sort of weird magnet for board dusters, wastepaper baskets and Lunascopes. "You just weren't concentrating properly -"**

: "Wonder why that was?" said Harry darkly, as Cedric Diggory walked past, surrounded by a large group of simpering girls, all of whom looked at Harry as though he was a particularly large Blast-Ended Skrewt."HEY! NO ONE LOOKS AT MY BOY LIKE HE'S ONE OF THOSE THINGS!" stormed Lily. "Sirius, I want the names of all those girls, so that I can haunt their dreams!"

James had an arrested look on his face, then looked in the mirror, "I look nothing like a Blast-Ended Skrewt," he muttered, as he surveyed his face, "Still as handsome as ever ..."**: "Still - never mind, eh? Double Potions to look forward to this afternoon ..."**"There's nice for you," muttered James, thinking of Snape.**: Double Potions was always a horrible experience,**"Well, it would be, you're in the same room as Snape," muttered Sirius.**: but these days it was nothing short of torture.**"Again, unsurprising. I mean, looking at Snape through that grease is enough to blind someone!" muttered James.  
**   
: Being shut in a dungeon for an hour and a half with Snape and the Slytherins, all of whom seemed determined to punish Harry as much as possible for daring to become school champion, was about the most unpleasant thing Harry could imagine.**Sirius scrambled under James' bed, and re-emerged with his ever-growing list of "unpleasant things to do to people he doesn't like".   
**   
: He had already struggled through one Friday's worth, with Hermione sitting next to him, intoning "Ignore them, ignore them, ignore them" under her breath, and he couldn't see why today should be any better.**

: When he and Hermione arrived outside Snape's dungeon after lunch, they found the Slytherins waiting outside, each and every one of them wearing a large badge on the front of his or her robes."Well, I'm guessing they're not S.P.E.W. badges ..." said Remus, looking up at the others.

**: For one wild moment Harry thought they were S.P.E.W. badges - then he saw that they all bore the same message, in luminous red letters that burnt brightly in the dimly lit underground passage: : _Support CEDRIC DIGGORY - _   
: _the REAL Hogwarts Champion!_ **"How much d'you wanna bet that Malfoy had anything to do with this?" said James, his fists clenched and shaking.

Sirius had a very ugly look on his face, and it was plain that if it were him they were targeting, or if he were there, Malfoy would be enduring the most embarrassing moment of his life right now.

**: "Like them, Potter?" said Malfoy loudly, as Harry approached. "And this isn't all they do - look!"**

: He pressed his badge into his chest, and the message upon it vanished, to be replaced by another one, which glowed green: 

: _POTTER STINKS_ James stood up instantly and began shouting every insult he knew.

Sirius, however, began to scribble furiously on his list, while muttering foul things under his breath, similar to James' comments.

**: The Slytherins howled with laughter. Each of them pressed their badges, too, until the message _POTTER STINKS_ was shining brightly all around Harry. He felt the heat rise in his face and neck.**

: "Oh, _very_ funny," Hermione said sarcastically to Pansy Parkinson and her gang of Slytherin girls, who were laughing harder than anyone, "really _witty_."

: Ron was standing against the wall with Dean and Seamus. He wasn't laughing, but he wasn't sticking up for Harry either.

: "Want one, Granger?" said Malfoy, holding out a badge to Hermione. "I've got loads. But don't touch my hand, now. I've just washed it, you see, don't want a Mudblood sliming it up."  
  
Lily's temper was already high, and she hated that word more than anything, being called it her entire school life by spiteful idiots, but James started shouting first.

"SHUT UP YOU LITTLE - IF I EVER HAVE THE MISFORTUNE OF MEETING YOU OR YOUR FATHER, I'M GOING TO DO SOMETHING TO YOU NO ONE WILL EVER HAVE SEEN BEFORE!"

And he continued to swear and curse Malfoy until his voice grew hoarse.

**: Some of the anger Harry had been feeling for days and days seemed to burst through a dam in his chest. He had reached for his wand before he'd thought what he was doing. People all around them scrambled out of the way, backing down the corridor.**"That's it, son! Blast him!" said James.

"James, he'll get into trouble!" said Lily.

"Yes, but Malfoy deserves it - how dare he use such words ..." and James continued to mumble curses under his breath.**: "Harry!" Hermione said warningly.  
: "Go on, then, Potter," Malfoy said quietly, drawing out his own wand. "Moody's not here to look after you now - do it, if you've got the guts -" **"Yeah, Malfoy - and I suppose you'd start a fight even if you weren't outside Snape's classroom?" said Sirius mockingly.**: For a split second, they looked into each other's eyes, then, at exactly the same time, both acted.**"Get him, Harry!" yelled Sirius.

**: "_Furnunculus_!" Harry yelled.**

: "_Densaugeo_!" screamed Malfoy.

: Jets of light shot from both wands, hit each other in mid-air, and ricocheted off at angles - Harry's hit Goyle in the face, and Malfoy's hit Hermione. Goyle bellowed and put his hands to his nose, where great ugly boils were springing up - Hermione, whimpering in panic, was clutching her mouth.

: "Hermione!" Ron had hurried forwards to see what was wrong with her.

: Harry turned and saw Ron dragging Hermione's hand away from her face. It wasn't a pretty sight. Hermione's front teeth - already larger then average - were now growing at an alarming rate; she was looking more and more like a beaver as her teeth elongated, past her bottom lip, towards her chin - panic-stricken, she felt them, and let out a terrified cry."See what happens when you lash out in anger?" said Lily.

"I know, it happens to us all the time, but I'm glad Harry went for him all the same!" said James stubbornly, but really he wasn't, for he knew now that Snape would turn up, Malfoy would make up some sob story that Snape was more likely to believe than the truth from Harry, and Harry would get detention with him.**: "And what is all this noise about?" said a soft, deadly voice. Snape had arrived.**

: The Slytherins clamoured to give their explanations. Snape pointed a long yellow finger at Malfoy and said, "Explain." "Yeah, he wouldn't point at someone who wasn't bias or a git," said Remus angrily.**: "Potter attacked me, sir -"**

: "We attacked each other at the same time!" Harry shouted.

: "- and he hit Goyle - look -" 

: Snape examined Goyle, whose face now resembled something that would have been at home in a book on poisonous fungi.

: "Hospital wing, Goyle," Snape said calmly.

: "Malfoy got Hermione!" Ron said. "_Look_!" 

"Bet he does absolutely nothing," muttered Lily, going red in the face. "After all, to him, she'll be nothing more than a Muggle-born!"   
**   
: He forced Hermione to show Snape her teeth - she was doing her best to hide them with her hands, though this was difficult as they had now grown past her collar. Pansy Parkinson and the other Slytherin girls were doubled up with silent giggles, pointing at Hermione, from behind Snape's back.**

: Snape looked coldly at Hermione, then said, "I see no difference." James' fist smashed against his other hand, and he sprang up and began pacing his room, muttering furiously under his breath. Sirius started growling, and Remus had an ugly look on his face, as though hearing something that disgusted him immensely.

"He's only doing it because he knows Hermione's more clever than he will ever be!" said Lily.

"DAMN STRAIGHT!" said James, stopping in his tracks.

**: Hermione let out a whimper; her eyes filled with tears, she turned on her heel and ran, ran all the way up the corridor and out of sight.**

: It was lucky, perhaps, that both Harry and Ron started shouting at Snape at the same time; lucky their voices echoed so much in the stone corridor, for in the confused din, it was impossible for him to hear exactly what they were calling him. He got the gist, however."He deserves it - I don't care how many detentions he puts them on - he deserved every last scummy thing they called him!" spat Sirius.**: "Let's see," he said, in his silkiest voice. "Fifty points from Gryffindor and a detention each for Potter and Weasley. Now get inside, or it'll be a week's worth of detentions."**

: Harry's ears were ringing. The injustice of it made him want to curse Snape into a thousand slimy pieces. He passed Snape, walked with Ron to the back of the dungeon, and slammed his bag onto the table. Ron was shaking with anger, too - for a moment, it felt as though everything was back to normal between them, but then Ron turned, and sat down with Dean and Seamus instead, leaving Harry alone at his table.  
  
"Poor Harry - he's not having a good week, is he?" said Remus sadly.

"Trust Snape to carry on like this, as well!" snarled James. "I bet the amount of satisfaction going round in his head right now has boosted his ego so much, he won't be able to fit through the door himself!"  
**   
: On the other side of the dungeon, Malfoy turned his back on Snape, and pressed his badge, smirking. _POTTER STINKS_ flashed once more across the room.**

Sirius was once again scribbling away at his ever-growing list.**: Harry sat there staring at Snape as the lesson began, picturing horrific things happening to him ... **Sirius looked up hopefully. "Excellent!" he cried. "Harry and I are on the same thought pattern!"   
**   
: if only he knew how to do the Cruciatus Curse ... **James looked uneasily at the book.**: he'd have Snape flat on his back like that spider, jerking and twitching ... **"HARRY JAMES POTTER!" stormed Lily. "You even _think_ about using an Unforgivable Curse again, I'll snap your wand myself!"

"He'd still deserve it," muttered Sirius.

**: "Antidotes!" said Snape, looking around at them all, his cold black eyes glittering unpleasantly. "You should all have prepared your recipes now. I want you to brew them carefully, and then we will be selecting someone on whom to test one ..."   
**  
"Oh, and I doubt that he'll pick the most obvious person in the room he hates," muttered Sirius sarcastically.

**: Snape's eyes met Harry's, and Harry knew what was coming. Snape was going to poison _him_. Harry imagined picking up his cauldron, and sprinting to the front of the class, and bringing it down on Snape's greasy head -   
**  
"That's a good one!" said Sirius, his eyes lighting up, and he started writing frantically on his list again.

**: And then a knock on the door burst in on Harry's thoughts.**

: It was Colin Creevey; he edged into the room, beaming at Harry, and walked up to the desk at the front of the room."Why is he always so happy?" said Sirius in an irritated voice. "His face must be in constant pain with all the smiling he does!" **: "Yes?" said Snape curtly.**

: "Please, sir, I'm supposed to take Harry Potter upstairs." 

: Snape stared down his hooked nose at Colin, whose smile faded from his eager face.

: "Potter has another hour of Potions to complete," said Snape coldly. "He will come upstairs when this class is finished." "He wouldn't have been sent for now if it was possible for him to go later," said James in a mocking voice, suggesting Snape was extremely stupid."Exactly! Everyone can't go round re-arranging plans just because they don't suit you, Snape!" snapped Lily, angrily.  
**   
: Colin went pink.**

: "Sir - sir, Mr Bagman wants him," he said nervously. "All the champions have got to go, I think they want to take photographs ..." James winced.  
**  
: Harry would have given anything he owned to have stopped Colin saying those last few words. He chanced half a glance at Ron, but Ron was staring determinedly at the ceiling.**

"I want to punch him," said Lily, "That ought to knock some sense into him!" 

Sirius looked at her, as though he was becoming more and more impressed with her by the minute.

**: "Very well, very well," Snape snapped. "Potter, leave your things here, I want you back down here later to test your antidote."**

: "Please, sir - he's got to take his things with him," squeaked Colin. "All the champions -"

: "Very _well_!" said Snape. "Potter - take your bag and get out of my sight!" "I'm sure he'll do it with great pleasure!" snapped Lily, as though Snape was sitting right in front of her.

James had a smug smile on his face as though Harry had somehow got one over Snape . 

**: Harry swung his bag over his shoulder, got up and headed for the door. As he walked through the Slytherin desks, _POTTER STINKS_ flashed at him from every direction.**Lily saw red again, and opened her mouth to retaliate, but James put his hand on her shoulder, and said calmly, "I simply think they've got Potter in there instead of Snape, or even Malfoy."

**: "It's amazing, isn't it, Harry?" said Colin, starting to speak the moment Harry had closed the dungeon door behind him. "Isn't it, though? You being champion?"**

: "Yeah, really amazing," said Harry heavily, as they set off towards the steps into the Entrance Hall. "What do they want photos for, Colin?"

: "The _Daily Prophet_, I think!"

: "Great," said Harry, dully. "Exactly what I need. More publicity."

: "Good luck!" said Colin, when they had reached the right room. Harry knocked on the door, and entered.

: He was in a fairly small classroom; most of the desks had been pushed away to the back of the room, leaving a large space in the middle; three of them, however, had been placed, end to end, in front of the blackboard, and covered with a long length of velvet. Five chairs had been set behind the velvet-covered desks, and Ludo Bagman was sitting in one of them, talking to a witch Harry had never seen before, who was wearing magenta robes.They all scowled, as though magenta robes was an item of clothing that, if worn, the person wearing them should be punished by some sort of fashion law.  
**  
: Viktor Krum was standing moodily in a corner as usual, and not talking to anyone. Cedric and Fleur were in conversation. Fleur looked a good deal happier then Harry had seen her so far; she kept throwing back her head so that her long silvery hair caught the light. A paunchy man, holding a large black camera which was smoking slightly, was watching Fleur out of the corner of his eye.**"Men ..." muttered Lily in disgust. "They're all the same ..."**: Bagman suddenly spotted Harry, got up quickly and bounded forwards. "Ah, here he is! Champion number four! In you come, Harry, in you come ... nothing to worry about, it's just the Wand Weighing ceremony, the rest of the judges will be here in a moment -"**

: "Wand Weighing?" Harry repeated nervously.

: "We have to check that your wands are fully functional, no problems, you know, as they're your most important tools in the tasks ahead," said Bagman. "The expert's upstairs now with Dumbledore. And there's going to be a little photo shoot. This is Rita Skeeter," he added gesturing towards the witch in magenta robes, Lily raised her eyebrows in a patronising manner.

"I don't like the sound of this," said Remus warily.

**: "She's doing a small piece on the Tournament for the _Daily Prophet_ ..." **

: "Maybe not _that_ small, Ludo," said Rita Skeeter, her eyes on Harry."She's got some trick up her sleeve that woman," said Lily, her eyes narrowing.

**: Her hair was set in elaborate and curiously rigid curls that contrasted oddly with her heavy-jawed face. She wore jewelled spectacles. The thick fingers clutching her crocodile-skin handbag ended in two-inch nails, painted crimson. **The boys cringed in disgust again, as though pink was a colour that should be banned in all countries for being too girlie  
**   
: "I wonder if I could have a little word with Harry before we start?" she said to Bagman, but still gazing fixedly at Harry. "The youngest champion, you know ... to add a bit of colour?"  
**  
"I don't care if you add Mrs Potter's apple crumble and custard, you're not talking to Harry, and that's that!" said Sirius flatly.

"Damn straight!" said Remus.

"My Mum's crumble is nice, isn't it?" said James.

"Damn straight!" said Sirius.**: "Certainly!" cried Bagman.  
**  
"Git," they all said.**: "That is - if Harry had no objection?" **"Yes, Harry - you do have an objection! The woman's covered in pink - a sure danger sign!" said James.**: "Er -" said Harry.**

: "Lovely," said Rita Skeeter, and in a second, her scarlet-taloned fingers had Harry's upper arm in a surprisingly strong grip, and she was steering him out of the room again, and opening a nearby door.

"We don't want to be in there with all that noise," she said. "Let's see ... ah, yes, this is nice and cosy."

: It was a broom cupboard. Harry stared at her."Run away!" said Sirius.

"Yeah!" said James, quickly.**: "Come along, dear - that's right - lovely," said Rita Skeeter again, perching herself precariously upon an upturned bucket, pushing Harry down onto a cardboard box and closing the door, throwing them into darkness. "Let's see now ..." **

: "She unsnapped her crocodile-skin handbag and pulled out a handful of candles, which she lit with a wave of her wand and magicked into mid-air, so that they could see what they were doing.

: "You won't mind, Harry, if I use a Quick-Quotes Quill? It leaves me free to talk to you normally ...""What's a Quick-Quotes Quill?" said James, looking at the others curiously.

"Dunno, but I bet it's some quill that writes down what she wants to hear and not what's actually said," said Lily savagely.

"So if she said, I'm Rite Skeeter, it wouldn't come up with: 'ugly, face painted woman, with claws and bad dress sense'?" asked Remus.

"I hope so," said Sirius.

**: "A what?" said Harry.**

: Rita Skeeter's smile widened. Harry counted three gold teeth. She reached again into her crocodile bag, and drew out a long, acid-green quill and a roll of parchment, which she stretched out between them on a crate of Mrs Skower's All-Purpose Magical Mess-Remover. She put the tip of the green quill into her mouth, sucked it for a moment with apparent relish, then placed it upright on the parchment, where it stood balanced on its point, quivering slightly."I don't like this pen," said Sirius. "It's quivering ..."

James looked at his friend, as though worried about his sanity.  
**   
: "Testing ... my name is Rita Skeeter, _Daily Prophet_ reporter." **

: Harry looked down quickly at the quill. The moment Rita Skeeter had spoken, the green quill had started to scribble, skidding across the parchment: : _Attractive blonde Rita Skeeter, forty-three, whose savage quill had punctured many inflated reputations -_ "This quill is trouble," said Sirius.

"Yes, but not because it was quivering ..." said James.**: "Lovely," said Rita Skeeter, yet again, and she ripped the top piece of parchment, crumpled it up and stuffed it into her bandbag.**"What a waste of parchment," said Lily.**: Now she leaned towards Harry and said, "So, Harry ... what made you decide to enter the Triwizard Tournament?" **"If you'd listened to Dumbledore, he's probably already told you that Harry didn't enter himself!" said Lily, through clenched teeth.**: "Er -" said Harry again, but he was distracted by the quill.**"See - the quill is evil! GET OUT OF THERE, HARRY!" said Sirius, standing up in alarm.

"The woman's evil, not the quill!" said Lily savagely.  
**   
: Even though he wasn't speaking, it was dashing across the parchment, and in its wake he could make out a fresh sentence: **"Evil quill ... evil quill ..." muttered Sirius.**: _An ugly scar, souvenir of a tragic past, disfigures the otherwise charming face of Harry Potter, whose eyes -_ : "Ignore the quill, Harry," said Rita Skeeter firmly. **"NO!" said Sirius. "No! Keep your eye on it, or it might do something else ..."**: Reluctantly, Harry looked up at her instead.**"I see what you mean, Harry," said James. "By the sounds of it, I don't want to look at this woman either. Her bright robes would probably blind you."   
**   
: "Now - why did you decide to enter the Tournament, Harry?"**

: "I didn't," said Harry. "I don't know how my name got into the Goblet of Fire. I didn't put it in there.""Good boy, you keep telling the stupid woman the truth," said Lily.

"For all the good it'll do," muttered Remus.

**: Rita Skeeter raised one heavily pencilled eyebrow.**"What was the point of getting rid of the original one then?" said James.

Sirius gave him a quizzical look.

"What? I just don't understand why women go through the pain of having their eyebrows plucked, just to buy a crayon to pencil it back in!" said James shrugging.

"Women do that?" **: "Come now, Harry, there's no need to be scared of getting into trouble. We all know you shouldn't really have entered at all. But don't worry about that. Our readers love a rebel."**"He's not a rebel!" snapped Lily.**: "But I didn't enter," Harry repeated. "I don't know who -"**

: "How do you feel about the tasks ahead?" said Rita Skeeter. "Excited? Nervous?""What's with this woman?" said Remus. "He's just got there - he hasn't had time to think of answers to these stupid questions!"   
**   
: "I haven't really thought ... yeah, nervous, I suppose," said Harry. His insides squirmed uncomfortably as he spoke.**"My poor Harry! Don't say anything more to the awful woman!" said Lily. "If I were there, my handbag would be greeting the sides of her face!"

**: "Champions have died in the past, haven't they?" said Rita Skeeter briskly. "Have you thought about that at all?"  
**  
"Of course he has!" snapped James, disliking this woman even more with every word she spoke. "You don't just forget about it when someone tells you the Tournament was cancelled because the death toll became too high!"

**: "Well, they say it's going to be a lot safer this year," said Harry.**

: The quill whizzed across the parchment between them, back and forwards as though it was skating.

Sirius eyes the book suspiciously as if the "evil quill" was going to jump out the page and skate across his list.

**: "Of course, you've looked death in the face before, haven't you?" said Rita Skeeter, watching him closely. "How would you say that's affected you?"**"What a question to ask a kid!" stormed Lily.

"As if he needs reminding of such experiences when he's nervous enough with this competition going on!" agreed Remus.

**: "Er," said Harry, yet again.**

: "Do you think that the trauma in your past might have made you keen to prove yourself? To live up to your name? "Well, he's already done that without your newspaper article or this Tournament!" said James proudly.  
**   
: "Do you think that perhaps you were tempted to enter the Triwizard Tournament because -"  
**  
"Hasn't he just told you he didn't enter it?" said James.

"Are you as stupid as you are fake?" said Sirius.**: "_I didn.t enter_," said Harry, starting to feel irritated.**.No, no, Harry!. said Lily. .Don't rise to the stupid woman's bait!. **: "Can you remember your parents at all?" said Rita Skeeter, talking over him.**Lily's face was now so red, it looked as though she was about to explode.

"Why do reporters have to talk over you instead of allowing you to finish what you're saying?" said Remus irritated.

"What a shocking question to ask my boy!" said James. "Of course he can't remember us . we died when he was just a baby!"**: "No," said Harry.**

: "How do you think they'd feel if they knew you were competing in the Triwizard Tournament? Proud? Worried? Angry?"

"If he can't remember us, then he has no idea of the kind of people we were, so how is he supposed to know how we would feel!" snapped James, becoming more and more irritated by the second.

"We're terrified, of course!" said Lily, tears springing from her eyes. "Someone wants to get him killed, that's why they put his name in that cup!"

**: Harry was feeling really annoyed now. How on earth was he to know how his parents would feel if they were alive? He could feel Rita Skeeter watching him very intently. Frowning, he avoided her gaze and looked down at the words the quill had just written.: _Tears fill those startling green eyes as our conversation turns to the parents he can barely remember._**

: "I have NOT got tears in my eyes!" said Harry loudly.

"Not a good thing to happen in an interview, saying a boy is crying," said James.

"What's the bet that the stupid woman will write that in the damned article?" said Sirius bitterly.

**: Before Rita Skeeter could say another word, the door of the broom cupboard was pulled open. Harry looked around, blinking in the bright light. Albus Dumbledore stood there, looking down at both of them squashed into the cupboard.**"Excellent!" said James, looking far happier now that Dumbledore was there. 

"He'll soon fettle that stupid woman!" muttered Lily in satisfied tones.**: "Dumbledore!" cried Rita Skeeter, with every appearance of delight - but Harry noticed that her quill and the parchment had suddenly vanished from the box of Magical Mess-Remover,**"See!" said Sirius as though this confirmed his suspicions, "That quill's evil! Why else would she be hiding it from Dumbledore?"

"Unless it's illegal," muttered Remus.**: and Rita's clawed fingers were hastily snapping shut the clasp of her crocodile-skin bag. "How are you?" she said, standing up and holding out one of her large, mannish hands to Dumbledore. "I hope you saw my piece over the summer about the International Confederation of Wizards' Conference?"**

"You don't expect him to take anything you write seriously, do you?" said Lily harshly, raising her eyebrows.

James smirked.**: "Enchantingly nasty," said Dumbledore, his eyes twinkling. "I particularly enjoyed your description of me as an obsolete dingbat."**"Charming," muttered Remus.**: Rita Skeeter didn't look remotely abashed. "I was just making the point that some of your ideas are a little old-fashioned, Dumbledore, and that many wizards in the street - "**

: "I will be delighted to hear the reasoning behind the rudeness, Rita," said Dumbledore, with a courteous bow and a smile, "but I'm afraid we will have to discuss the matter later. The Weighing of the Wands is about to start, and it cannot take place if one of our champions is hidden in a broom cupboard."  
  
"Ha!" said Lily triumphantly.

"Imagine what she'd have asked if Dumbledore didn't interrupt, though, she might have got news about Sirius out or anything!" said James, looking relieved.

"Harry wouldn't tell her where I am," said Sirius.

"I know that, but these reporters, you know." He gave Sirius a dark look, and they both nodded.

**: Very glad to get away from Rita Skeeter, Harry hurried back into the room. The other champions were now sitting in chairs near the door, and he sat down quickly next to Cedric, looking up at the velvet-covered table, where four of the five judges were now sitting - Professor Karkaroff, Madame Maxime, Mr Crouch and Ludo Bagman. Rita Skeeter settled herself down in a corner; Harry saw her slip the parchment out of her bag again, spread it on her knee, suck the end of the Quick-Quotes Quill, and place it once more on the parchment.**

"Damn," muttered Sirius, "If she's using it openly like that, it must be legal, but that doesn't stop it being evil!"**: "May I introduce Mr Ollivander?" said Dumbledore, taking his place at the judges table, and talking to the champions. "He will be checking your wands to ensure that they are in good condition before the Tournament." **"Excellent," said James. "I was hoping they'd get him - you can't find a better expert anywhere!"

"Damn straight," said Remus.**: Harry looked around, and with a jolt of surprise saw an old wizard with large, pale eyes standing quietly by the window. Harry had met Mr Ollivander before - he was the wand-maker from whom Harry had bought his own wand over three years ago in Diagon Alley.**"Most students buy their wands from him in Diagon Alley," said Sirius in agitation, "well, most students from Hogwarts, anyways - get on with it!"

"We can hardly get on with it if you interrupt with such remarks, Sirius," said Remus fairly.

"True," said Sirius, and he remained quiet.**: "Mademoiselle Delacour, could we have you forward first, please?" said Mr Ollivander, stepping into the empty space in the middle of the room.**

: Fleur Delacour swept over to Mr Ollivander, and handed him her wand.

: "Hmmm ..." he said.

: He twirled the wand between his long fingers like a baton and it emitted a number of pink and gold sparks. Then he held it close to his eyes and examined it carefully.

: "Yes, he said quietly, "nine and a half inches ... inflexible ... rosewood ... and containing ... dear me ..."

: "An 'air from ze 'ead of a Veela," said Fleur. "One of my grandmuzzer's."  
  
"I would have thought Veela hair wouldn't be much use on a wand," said Remus thoughtfully.

Sirius scowled at him, for he had just been scolded for interrupting.

**: So Fleur _was_ part Veela, thought Harry, making a mental note to tell Ron ... then he remembered that Ron wasn't speaking to him.  
**  
"Awww," sobbed Lily, looking pained.

**: "Yes," said Mr Ollivander, "yes, I've never used Veela hair myself, of course. I find it makes for rather temperamental wands... however, to each his own, and if this suits you ... "**

: Mr Ollivander ran his fingers along the wand, apparently checking for scratches or bumps; then he muttered, "_Orchideous!"_ and a bunch of flowers burst from the wand tip.James looked at the book, then at his wand. He also muttered the spell, and a bunch of flowers also burst from his wand. Looking extremely satisfied, he gave the flowers to Lily with an understanding smile, which Lily happily received, giving a watery smile in return.**: "Very well, very well, it's in fine working order," said Mr Ollivander, scooping up the flowers and handing them to Fleur with her wand. "Mr Diggory, you next.": Fleur glided back to her seat, smiling at Cedric as he passed her.**

: "Ah, now, this is one of mine, isn't it?" said Mr Ollivander, with much more enthusiasm, as Cedric handed over his wand.  
  
"Well he'd know, as he remembers every wand he's ever sold," said James.

"I'll never forget the day we got my wand - gave me the creeps!" said Sirius.

**: "Yes, I remember it well. Containing a single hair from the tail of a particularly fine male unicorn ... must have been seventeen hands; nearly gored me with his horn after I plucked his tail. Twelve and a quarter inches ... ash ... pleasantly springy. It's in fine condition... you treat it regularly?"**

: "Polished it last night," said Cedric, grinning.  
  
The boys looked at each other, and raised their eyebrows. They huddled together.

"You don't polish yours, do you?" Sirius muttered.

"No way, like we have time to do that," muttered James back.

"What's the point? It'll just get grubby again," muttered Remus.

**: Harry looked down at his own wand. He could see finger marks al over it. He gathered a fistful of robe from his knee and tried to rub it clean surreptitiously. Several gold sparks shot out of the end of it. Fleur Delacour gave him a very patronising look, and he desisted. **"HEY!" stormed Lily, standing up abruptly, "Just because he's smaller and younger than you, doesn't mean to say he's less capable then you, you - you - wand snob!""Damn right - I bet you'd've never been able to get through some of the things Harry has!" agreed Sirius and James together at once.

Remus smiled at everyone.**: Mr Ollivander sent a stream of silver smoke rings across the room from the tip of Cedric's wand, pronounced himself satisfied, and then said, "Mr Krum, if you please."**

: Viktor Krum got up and slouched, round-shouldered and duck-footed, towards Mr Ollivander. He thrust his wand out and stood scowling, with his hands in the pockets of his robes.

: "Hmm," said Mr Ollivander, "this is a Gregorovitch creation, unless I'm much mistaken? A fine wand-maker, though the styling is never quite what I ... however ... "They were all smiling, thinking the same thing.

"Well at least he stops himself before he's able to make any solid criticism," said Remus.

**: He lifted the wand and examined it minutely, turning it over and over before his eyes.**

: "Yes ... hornbeam and dragon heartstring?" he shot at Krum, who nodded. "Rather thicker then one usually sees ... quite rigid ... ten and a quarter inches ... _Avis!"  
_  
: The hornbeam wand let off a blast like a gun, and a number of small, twittering birds flew out of the end, and through the window into the watery sunlight.

"Write that spell down, Sirius - we.ll use that on my mother, when she's least expecting it - what a fright she'll get!" said James, smiling.

"That's horrible!" said Lily.

"Oh, she's used to it now - she normally knows when we're doing tricks on her," said Sirius.

"Yes," said James, "it's now an occupational hazard to us, really."

"Acquired from many years of raising one of the more ruthless of the marauders ..." said Remus fondly.

**: "Good," said Mr Ollivander, handing Krum back his wand. "Which leaves ... Mr Potter."**

"Yes? said James. "Why're you talking to me, you can't see me! Or can he? What? That's not fair ... where are you! You don't scare me!"

Remus threw a pillow at him while Sirius rolled round the floor, laughing.

**: Harry got to his feet and walked past Krum to Mr Ollivander. He handed over his wand.**"I hope he says nothing about it being the brother of Voldemort's wand," said James, sounding suddenly worried.

"It'd please the reporter woman," muttered Remus bitterly.

"He says anything, then I'll ... I'll ..." muttered Sirius, but he never finished his threat.

**: "Aaaah, yes," said Mr Ollivander, his pale eyes suddenly gleaming. "Yes, yes, yes. How well I remember."**"Just don't say what you remember," said James worriedly.

**: Harry could remember, too. He could remember it as though it had happened yesterday ...**

: Four summers ago, on his eleventh birthday, he had entered Mr Ollivander's shop with Hagrid to buy a wand. Mr Ollivander had taken his measurements and then started handing him wands to try. Harry waved what felt like every wand in the shop, until at last he had found the one that suited him - this one, which was made of holly, eleven inches long, and contained a single feather from the tail of a phoenix. Mr Ollivander had been very surprised that Harry had been so compatible with this wand. "Curious," he had said, "curious," and not until Harry asked what was curious had Mr Ollivander explained that the phoenix feather in Harry's wand had come from the same bird which had supplied the core of Lord Voldemort's."That really is a horrible thought," said Lily, shuddering. "I hope wands don't say anything about the character of people ..."

"There's nothing wrong with Harry's wand, just as there's nothing wrong with Harry," said James firmly.

"But it is curious ..." said Sirius thoughtfully.**: Harry had never shared this piece of information with anybody. He was very fond of his wand, and as far as he was concerned its relation to Voldemort's wand was something it couldn't help - rather as he couldn't help being related to Aunt Petunia.**"Exactly," said James. "There's nothing wrong with the wand!"

"It's still a strange coincidence though, James, you have to admit," said Remus.

"Yes, it is, but there's still nothing wrong with that," said James. He did not know why he was so irritated, but he was.**: However, he really hoped that Mr Ollivander wasn't about to tell the room about it. He had a funny feeling Rita Skeeter's Quick-Quotes Quill might just explode with excitement if he did.**

: Mr Ollivander spent much longer examining Harry's wand than anyone else's. Eventually, however, he made a fountain of wine shoot out of it, and handed it back to Harry, announcing that it was still in perfect condition."Good," they all said.**: "Thank you all," said Dumbledore, standing up at the judges' table. "You may go back to your lessons now - or perhaps it would be quicker just to go down to dinner, as they are about to end -" **"Brilliant - Harry's wand's fine, he's missed Potions with Snivelly-pants, and it's dinner time!" said Sirius happily.

**: Feeling that at last something had gone right today, Harry got up to leave, but the man with the black camera jumped up and cleared his throat.**

: "Photos, Dumbledore, photos!" cried Bagman excitedly. "All the judges and champions. What do you think, Rita?""Who cares about what she thinks?" said James in disgust.**: "Er - yes, let's do those first," said Rita Skeeter, whose eyes were upon Harry again. "And then perhaps some individual shots."**"You write anything that upsets my boy, you evil woman, I'll have that Quick-Quotes Quill thrust up your nose!" growled Lily.**: The photographs took a long time. Madame Maxime cast everyone else into shadow wherever she stood, and the photographer couldn't stand far enough back to get her into the frame; eventually she had to sit while everyone else stood around her. Karkaroff kept twirling his goatee around his finger to give it an extra curl; Krum, who Harry would have thought would have been used to this sort of thing, skulked, half-hidden, at the back of the group. The photographer seemed keenest to get Fleur at the front, **Lily gave a disgusted snort.**: but Rita Skeeter kept hurrying forward and dragging Harry into greater prominence. At last, they were free to go.**

: Harry went down to dinner. Hermione wasn't there - he supposed she was still in the hospital wing having her teeth fixed. He ate alone at the end of the table, then returned to Gryffindor Tower, thinking of all the extra work on Summoning Charms that he had to do. Up in the dormitory, he came across Ron."Oh, I hope they don't fight," said Lily.

"I hope they do - might knock some sense into him," muttered Srius.

"Ron'll come round - friends always do," said Remus.

**: "You've had an owl," said Ron brusquely, the moment he walked in. He was pointing at Harry's pillow. The school barn owl was waiting for him there.**

: "Oh - right," said Harry.

: "And we've got our detentions tomorrow night, Snape's dungeon," said Ron.

: He then walked straight out of the room, not looking at Harry. For a moment, Harry considered going after him - he wasn't sure whether he wanted to talk to him or hit him, both seemed quite appealing - but the lure of Sirius' answer was too strong."Excellent!" cried James happily.

"We knew you'd have to reply sooner or later!" said Remus.**: Harry strode over to the barn owl, took the letter off its leg, and unrolled it.**

: Harry_ -  
_  
: _I can't say everything I would like in a letter, it's too risky in case the owl is intercepted - we need to talk face to face. Can you ensure that you are alone by the fire in Gryffindor Tower at one o'clock in the morning on the 22nd of November?  
_  
"But that's much too late for him to be out of bed!" said Lily reproachfully.

"I don't care, as long as Sirius'll help him get through these tasks!" said James firmly.

"Well, yes, that would be a help - but it's still -"

"How else is Sirius going to talk to him? And it'll have to be late so that Harry can be sure they won't be disturbed ..." said Remus.**: _I know better than anyone that you can look after yourself, and while you're around Dumbledore and Moody I don't think anyone will be able to hurt you. However, someone seems to be having a good try. Entering you in that Tournament would have been very risky, especially right under Dumbledore's nose._**"Damn right, it was," said James. "I wish I knew who did put his name in."

**: _Be on the watch, Harry. I still want to hear about anything unusual. Let me know about the 22nd November as quickly as you can.  
_  
: _Sirius_**"Thanks mate," said James, clapping Sirius on the back.

"It's the least I can do - and I'm more than happy to help him," said Sirius proudly.

Remus held out the book suggesting someone else take it, which was just as well, for he had just read out two chapters and his voice was growing rather hoarse.

James took the book, though Remus was rather reluctant to give it to him as he was sure James would completely overreact when he read the title of the next chapter.


	19. Chapter 19

**Disclaimer: still not mine**

**Beta : loonygrl90**

**CHAPTER NINETEEN**

: THE HUNGARIAN HORNTAIL"OH MY GOD!" shrieked Lily, "HE'S GOT TO FIGHT A DRAGON!"

James had gone white - he knew fine well what a Hungarian Horntail was; he would never want to face one, and he was a seventh year ... he didn't even want to think about his fourth-year son facing one.

"But I'm sure Harry'll be fine," said Sirius, in a brave attempt to calm everyone down, "I'll be there helping him! I'll tell him the Conjunctivitis Curse ... " He broke off, looking awkwardly at Remus, who merely shrugged.

**: The prospect of talking face to face with Sirius was all the sustained Harry over the next fortnight, the only bright spot on a horizon that had never looked darker. The shock of finding himself school champion had worn off slightly now, and the fear of what was facing him was starting to sink in.  
**  
"I hope he finds out about that dragon before he has to face it ... give him some preparation time ... " muttered James.

"But the First Task is to test the wizards daring, isn't it - they're not going to tell them what the test is," said Remus weakly.**: The first task was now drawing steadily nearer; he felt as though it was crouching ahead of him like some horrific monster, barring his path. He had never suffered nerves like these; they were way beyond anything he had felt before a Quidditch match, not even his last one against Slytherin, which had decided who would win the Quidditch Cup.**"Which we won, because Slytherin are all stupider than concussed trolls," muttered Sirius; after all, he found it a shame to miss an opportunity to mock Slytherin.

**: Harry was finding it hard to think about the future at all; he felt as if his whole life had been leading up to, and would finish with, the first task . **"But like he said earlier, he's just nervous," said Remus, trying to keep things positive.**: Admittedly, he didn't see how Sirius was going to make him feel any better about having to perform an unknown piece of difficult and dangerous magic in front of hundreds of people, but the mere sight of a friendly face would be something at the moment. Harry wrote back to Sirius, saying he would be beside the common-room fire at the time Sirius had suggested, and he and Hermione spent a long time going over plans for forcing any stragglers out of the common room on the night in question.**

"Dungbombs," said James at once, "they never fail to clear a room."

"You would know, Potter," said Lily, though there was an amused air in her voice.

**: If the worst came to the worst, they were going to drop a bag of Dungbombs, but they hoped they wouldn't have to resort to that - **"Aww," said Sirius and James in total disappointment.

**: Filch would skin them alive.**

: In the meantime, life became even worse for Harry within the confines of the castle, for Rita Skeeter had published her piece about the Triwizard Tournament, 

"What's the evil woman written," growled Lily.

Sirius got his list out, then loaded his quill with ink then looked at James, waiting for him to continue.: and it had turned out to be not so much a report on the Triwizard Tournament, as a highly coloured life story of Harry.Lily was looking at the book, stony faced.**: Much of the front page had been given over to a picture of Harry; the article (continuing on pages two, six and seven) had been all about Harry, the names of the Beauxbatons and Durmstrang champions (misspelled) had been squashed into the last line of the article, and Cedric hadn't been mentioned at all.**James looked up from the book, gave a sad smile and said, "Well, I can't imagine this improving things with Ron."

Sirius wasn't listening to anyone; he was busy scribbling frantically on his list.

"Can't imagine Harry being very happy with it himself," said Remus. "He's not one for publicity, really, if you think about it."

"I'm sure Snape will have plenty to say about that," said Lily, in a harsh voice. She then closed her eyes, as though she thought what she had just said was too horrible, took a deep breath and waited for James to continue.

**: The article had appeared ten days ago, and Harry still got a sick, burning feeling of shame in his stomach every time he thought about it. Rita Skeeter had reported him saying an awful lot of things that he couldn't remember ever saying in his life, let alone in that broom cupboard.**"It's a shame that Rita's made up a load of rubbish for the Prophet," said Remus. "She's the sort of person that gives journalists a bad name."

Sirius looked at Remus; he was sure he was joking.

"But the thing is, that's the kind of thing that people would want to read. The Prophet tends to write what people want to hear, not what actually happens," said James. "At least, that's what I've found from reading it over the years, and Dad's always going on about how they're always getting things wrong."

"And no doubt people will want to hear some sob story about how my boy's a tragic hero, forced to go through all sorts of extra difficulties in his already hard-suffering life," said Lily with her teeth clenched.

**: "_I suppose I get my strength from my parents. I know they'd be very proud of me if they could see me now ... Yes, sometimes at night I still cry about them, I'm not ashamed to admit it ... I know nothing will hurt me during the Tournament, because they're watching over me ..."_**"What a load of rubbish!" snapped James. "Not that we're not proud of Harry and don't wish him luck, but Harry would never say that! He's not like that!" he scowled.

"Of course he isn't - people who know him will just ignore what the stupid woman's written!. said Lily.

"I bet you money that the Slytherins will have something amazingly funny to say about all this," snarled Sirius.

**: But Rita Skeeter had gone even further than transforming his "er's" into long, sickly sentences: She had interviewed other people about him, too.  
**  
"Oh God!" said Lily in complete frustration.

**: _Harry has at last found love at Hogwarts. His close friend, Colin Creevey, says that Harry is rarely seen out of the company of one Hermione Granger, a stunningly pretty Muggle-born girl who, like Harry, is one of the top students in the school._**"That'll impress Ron even more," said James glumly.

"I vote we find out who this Skeeter woman is and fill her bed with some kind of itching powder that sticks to her for an entire week, and nothing can stop it - then when the week's over, we do it again!" said Sirius.

**: From the moment the article appeared, Harry had to endure people - Slytherins, mainly - quoting it at him as he passed them, and making sneering comments.**Sirius and James were glaring at the book, as though they could see all those people laughing at something Harry couldn't help.**: "Want a hanky, Potter, in case you start crying in Transfiguration?"**

: "Since when have you been one of the top students in the school, Potter? Or is this a school you and Longbottom have set up together?"  
  
"I'll have you know that Neville is probably a lot cleverer than everyone seems to think - just you watch - he'll outshine you all one day!" said James angrily.

Sirius looked at him doubtfully.

Remus shook his head and said, "Look at Peter ..." **: "Hey - Harry!"**

: "Yeah, that's right," Harry found himself shouting, as he wheeled around in the corridor, having had just about enough. "I've just been crying my eyes out over my dead mum, and I'm just off to do a bit more ..."

: "No - it was just - you dropped your quill."

: It was Cho.  
  
The boys all grimaced, as Lily hastily turned her snort of laughter into a cough.

"Poor kid," she said, "he never seems to get it right with her, does he?"

"Reminds me of someone else I know," said Remus, looking over at James, who replied by throwing a particularly heavy book at him.

**: Harry felt the colour rising in his face.**

: "Oh - right - sorry," he muttered, taking the quill back.

: "Er ... good luck for Tuesday," she said. "I really hope you do well."

: Which left Harry feeling extremely stupid."Never mind, there's always time to make it up to her - unless you make a fool of yourself at that opportunity as well," said Lily.

James scowled, knowing fine well he often made a fool of himself in front of Lily.

**: Hermione had come in for her fair share of unpleasantness, too, but she hadn't yet started yelling at innocent bystanders; in fact, Harry was full of admiration for the way she was handling the situation.**

: "_Stunningly pretty? Her?"_ Pansy Parkinson had shrieked, the first time she had come face to face with Hermione after Rita's article had appeared. "What was she judging against - a chipmunk?""I'm sure that if she were judging _your_ prettiness, she'd only call you stunningly attractive when judging against a baboon," said Sirius scathingly, as though he was standing there in the crowd with Hermione.

**: "Ignore it," Hermione said in a dignified voice, holding her head in the air and stalking past the sniggering Slytherin girls as though she couldn't hear them. "Just ignore it, Harry."**"The best way," said Remus fairly.

"Yup," said James, "Don't get into trouble that way."

"Yes, but shouting at someone in times like this makes you feel so much better," said Lily, sighing.**: But Harry couldn't ignore it. Ron hadn't spoken to him at all since he had told him about Snape's detentions. Harry had half hoped they would make things up during the two hours they were forced to pick rats' brains in Snape's dungeon, but that had been the day Rita's article had appeared, which seemed to have confirmed Ron's belief that Harry was really enjoying all the attention.**"But all throughout the years Harry hasn't liked the attention, and Ron knows this," said Sirius, sounding rather annoyed that Ron could be so stupid.

"Yes, but all the same, Harry does get the attention, and you can't really blame Ron for being jealous," said Remus.**: Hermione was furious with the pair of them; she went from one to the other, trying to force them to talk to each other, but Harry was adamant: He would talk to Ron again only if Ron admitted Harry hadn't put his name in the Goblet of Fire, and apologised for calling him a liar.**"Which is only fair," said James, as though this needed confirming.

**: "I didn't start this," Harry said stubbornly. "It's his problem."**

: "You miss him!" Hermione said impatiently. "And I _know_ he misses you -"

: "_Miss_ _him?_" said Harry. "I don't _miss him_..." "Harry, you're a terrible liar," said Lily.

**But this was a downright lie. Harry liked Hermione very much, but she just wasn't the same as Ron. There was much less laughter, and a lot more hanging around in the library when Hermione was your best friend. Harry still hadn't mastered Summoning Charms, he seemed to have developed something of a block about them, and Hermione insisted that learning the theory would help. They consequently spent a lot of time poring over books during their lunchtimes.**"What fun," muttered Sirius, in a way that plainly said he didn't think it was fun at all.**: Viktor Krum was in the library an awful lot, too, and Harry wondered what he was up to. Was he studying, or was he looking for things to help him through the first task?**"Probably - no doubt Karkaroff will have found out what's coming and told him straight away!" muttered Sirius menacingly.**: Hermione often complained about Krum being there - not that he ever bothered them, but because a group of giggling girls often turned up to spy on him from behind bookshelves, and Hermione found the noise distracting.  
**  
"Know how the guy feels," said Sirius lazily. "Girls are always hiding behind things to spy on me - it's to be expected with such good looks as mine.""And I thought you were big-headed, Potter - you're nothing to this idiot!. said Lily, smiling.

"That's good-looking idiot," said Sirius.

Remus shook his head and laughed with James.  
**  
: "He's not even good-looking!" she muttered angrily, glaring at Krum's sharp profile. "They only like him because he's famous! They wouldn't look twice at him if he couldn't do that Wonky Faint thing -"**"Wronski Feint," muttered James angrily, as though it was rude not to get such terms right.

But Sirius was still loudly telling everyone that he was now better than Krum because he definitely was good-looking.  
**  
: "Wronski Feint," said Harry, through gritted teeth. Quite apart from liking to get Quidditch terms correct, it caused him another pang to imagine Ron's expression if he could have heard Hermione talking about Wonky Faints.**

"I think James' is enough for me," laughed Lily.

"What?" said James, trying to get the look of incredulousness off his face.**: It is a strange thing, but when you are dreading something, and would give anything to slow down time, it has a disobliging habit of speeding up. **"Tell me about it," muttered James, still thinking of Quidditch, "every time you go to a game, the time during which it's on just flies by!" **: The days until the first task seemed to slip by as though someone had fixed the clocks to work at double speed. Harry's feeling of barely controlled panic was with him wherever he went, as ever present as the snide comments about the Daily Prophet article.**"Don't worry, Harry," said Sirius. "I'm sure I'll be able to help in some way - at least, I hope I can... "James and Lily smiled at him.**: On the Sunday before the first task, all students in the third year and above were permitted to visit the village of Hogsmeade.**"Good, a chance to let him think of something else - get away from everything for a couple of hours," said Lily, happily.**: Hermione told Harry that it would do him good to get away from the castle for a bit, and Harry didn't need much persuasion.**

: "What about Ron, though?" he said. "Don't you want to go with him?": "Oh... well..." Hermione went slightly pink. "I thought we might meet up with him in the Three Broomsticks..."

: "No," said Harry flatly.

: "Oh Harry, this is so stupid -": "I'll come, but I'm not meeting Ron, and I'm wearing my Invisibility Cloak."

: "Oh, all right, then..." Hermione snapped, "but I hate talking to you in that Cloak, I never know if I'm looking at you or not.""It doesn't matter whether your looking at him, just as long as he can hear you," said Sirius, as though Hermione were stupid.**: So Harry put on his Invisibility Cloak in the dormitory, went back downstairs, and together he and Hermione set off for Hogsmeade.**

: Harry felt wonderfully free under the Cloak; he watched other students walking past them as they entered the village, most of them sporting support CEDRIC DIGGORY badges, but no horrible remarks came his way for a change, and nobody was quoting that stupid article."Excellent," said James, and he beamed at the others as though it was them causing Harry's momentary peacetime.**: "People keep looking at _me_ now," said Hermione grumpily, as they came out of Honeydukes Sweetshop later, eating large cream-filled chocolates. "They think I'm talking to myself."**

: "Don't move your lips so much, then."

: "Come_ on,_ please just take off your Cloak for a bit. No one's going to bother you here."

: "Oh, yeah?" said Harry. "Look behind you."

: Rita Skeeter and her photographer friend had just emerged from the Three Broomsticks pub. Talking in low voices, they passed right by Hermione without looking at her. Harry backed into the wall of Honeydukes to stop Rita Skeeter hitting him with her crocodile-skin handbag.

: When they were gone, Harry said, "She's staying in the village. I bet she's coming to watch the first task."

: As he said it, his stomach flooded with a wave of molten panic. He didn't mention this; he and Hermione hadn't discussed what was coming in the first task much; he had the feeling she didn't want to think about it."I'm sure I don't really want to, either, but I suppose it is sensible to think about what may come up," said James, looking slightly crestfallen that Harry carried his worries to Hogsmeade with him.

"Dragons! How on earth is a boy to fight such creatures with only one wand?" said Remus.

No one answered.**: "She's gone," said Hermione, looking right through Harry towards the end of the High Street. "Why don't we go and have a Butterbeer in the Three Broomsticks. It's a bit cold, isn't it? You don't have to talk to Ron!" she added irritably, correctly interpreting his silence.**

: The Three Broomsticks was packed, mainly with Hogwarts students enjoying their free afternoon, but also with a variety of magical people Harry rarely saw anywhere else. Harry supposed that as Hogsmeade was the only all-wizard village in Britain, it was a bit of a haven for creatures like hags, who were not as adept as wizards at disguising themselves."They shouldn't talk about McGonagall like that - she's bound to fine out," muttered Sirius, "she always does!"**: It was very hard to move through the crowds in the Invisibility Cloak, in case you accidentally trod on someone, which tended to lead to awkward questions. Harry edged slowly towards a spare table in the corner while Hermione went to buy drinks. On his way through the pub, Harry spotted Ron, who was sitting with Fred, George and Lee Jordan.**"Hit him," said Sirius at once.

"Ron'll know who it was, though- he knows about the Cloak, dungbrains!" said Remus.**: Resisting the urge to give Ron a good hard poke in the back of the head, he finally reached the table and sat down at it.**

: Hermione joined him a moment later and slipped him a Butterbeer under his Cloak.

: "I look like such an idiot, sitting here on my own," she muttered. "Lucky I brought something to do."

: And she pulled out a notebook in which she had been keeping a record of S. P. E. W. members. Harry saw his and Ron's names at the top of the very short list. It seemed a very long time ago they had sat making those predictions together, and Hermione had turned up and appointed them secretary and treasurer."She should definitely change the name, then she might get more members," said Remus.

"Maybe we could start one for werewolves," suggested James, "then it might be easier for you to get a decent job outside Hogwarts."  
**  
: "You know, maybe I should try and get some of the villagers involved in S. P. E. W.," Hermione aid thoughtfully, looking around the pub.**

: "Yeah, right," said Harry. He took a swig of Butterbeer under his Cloak. "Hermione, when are you going to give up on this S. P. E. W. stuff?": "When house-elves have decent wages and working conditions!" she hissed back. "You know, I'm starting to think it's time for more direct action. I wonder how you get into the school kitchens?"  
  
"Find the painting with the bowl of fruit on it," said James and Sirius together.

Remus smiled, then added, "Where you'll find hundreds of house-elves there ready to give you as much food as you want!"**: "No idea, ask Fred and George," said Harry.**

: Hermione lapsed into thoughtful silence, while Harry drank his Butterbeer, watching the people in the pub. All of them looked cheerful and relaxed. Ernie Macmillan and Hannah Abbott were swapping Chocolate Frog cards at a nearby table, both of them sporting SUPPORT CEDRIC DIGGORY badges on their cloaks. Right over by the door he saw Cho and a large group of her Ravenclaw friends. She wasn't wearing a CEDRIC badge, though... This cheered Harry up very slightly...They all grinned.**: What he wouldn't have given to be one of these people, sitting around laughing and talking, with nothing to worry about but homework? He imagined how it would have felt to be here if his name hadn't come out of the Goblet of Fire. He wouldn't be wearing the Invisibility Cloak, for one thing. Ron would be sitting with him. The three of them would probably be happily imagining what deadly dangerous task the school champions would be facing on Tuesday. He'd have been really looking forward to it, watching them do whatever it was ... cheering on Cedric with everyone else, safe in a seat at the back of the stands...**

: He wondered how the other champions were feeling. Every time he had seen Cedric lately, he had been surrounded by admirers, and looking nervous but excited. Harry glimpsed Fleur Delacour from time to time in the corridors; she looked exactly as she always did, haughty and unruffled. And Krum just sat in the library, pouring over books."What an eventful life he must lead," muttered Lily, unimpressed.

James seemed just as unimpressed, but seemed determined not to make fun of him as he seemed to have earned some of his respect for being an excellent Quidditch player.**: Harry thought of Sirius, and the tight, tense knot in his chest seemed to ease slightly.**James beamed over at Sirius. "It's great that you're there to help him, mate! If there's anyone in the world I'd want him to look up as a role model, it's you and Remus!"**: He would be peaking to him in just over twelve hours, for tonight was the night they were meeting in the common-room fire - assuming nothing went wrong, as everything else had done lately...**

: "Look! It's Hagrid!" said Hermione.

: The back of Hagrid's enormous shaggy head - he had mercifully abandoned the bunches - emerged over the crowd. Harry wondered why he hadn't spotted him at once, as Hagrid was so large, but standing up carefully, he saw that Hagrid had been leaning low, talking to Professor Moody. Hagrid had his usual enormous tankard in front of him, but Moody was drinking from his hip-flask. Madam Rosmerta, the pretty landlady, didn't seem to think much of this; she was looking askance at Moody as she collected glasses from tables around them. Perhaps she thought it was an insult to her mulled mead, but Harry knew better. Moody had told them all during their last Defence Against the Dark Arts lesson that he preferred to prepare his own food and drink at all times, as it was so easy for Dark wizards to poison an unattended cup.

"True," said Remus, looking slightly alarmed at this level of paranoia, "but poisoning at Hogwarts is unlikely, surely!"**: As Harry watched, he saw Hagrid and Moody get up to leave. He waved, then remembered that Hagrid couldn't see him. Moody, however, paused, his magical eye on the corner where Harry was standing. He tapped Hagrid in the small of the back (being unable to reach his shoulder), muttered something to him, and then the pair of them made their way back across the pub towards Harry and Hermione's table.**"How on earth can Moody see Harry in his Cloak?" said Lily, amazed.

"Dumbledore can," said James, "maybe he knows the same trick?" **: "All right, Hermione?" said Hagrid loudly.**

: "Hello," said Hermione, smiling back.

: Moody limped around the table and bent down; Harry thought he was reading the S. P. E. W. notebook, until he muttered, "Nice Cloak, Potter."

: Harry looked at him in amazement. The large chunk missing from Moody's nose was particularly obvious at a few inches. distance. Moody grinned.

: "Can your eye . I mean, can you -?": "Yeah, it can see through Invisibility Cloaks," Moody said quietly. "And it's come in useful at times, I can tell you."

: Hagrid was beaming down at Harry, too. Harry knew Hagrid couldn't see him, but Moody had obviously told Hagrid he was there.

: Hagrid now bent down on the pretext of reading the S. P. E. W. notebook as well, and said in a whisper so low that only Harry could hear it. "Harry, meet me tonight at midnight at me cabin. Wear that Cloak.""But he'll miss his meeting with me!" said Sirius in alarm.

"He could meet you after whatever it is Hagrid wants him for," said James, though he looked anxious. "He wouldn't ask him to come out at night if it wasn't important."

**: Straightening up, Hagrid said loudly, "Nice ter see yeh, Hermione," winked, and departed. Moody followed him.**

: "Why does he want me to meet him at midnight?" Harry said, very surprised.

: "Does he?" said Hermione, looking startled. "I wonder what he's up to? I don't know whether you should go, Harry..." she looked nervously around, and hissed, "It might make you late for Sirius."

: It was true that going down to Hagrid's at midnight would mean cutting his meeting with Sirius very fine indeed; Hermione suggested sending Hedwig down to Hagrid's to tell him he couldn't go - always assuming she would consent to take the note, of course -"Moody owl," muttered Lily resentfully.**: Harry, however, thought it better just to be quick at whatever Hagrid wanted him for. He was very curious to know what this might be; Hagrid had never asked Harry to visit him so late at night.**"What if Hagrid's found out that the task's facing dragons, and he just wants to give Harry a head-start?" suggested Remus.

James. eyes widened. "Of course! Hagrid'd do anything to help Harry, I'm sure!"

"Excellent - then he can tell me, and I can tell him what to do!" said Sirius happily.

**:At half past eleven that evening, Harry, who had pretended to go up to bed early, pulled the Invisibility Cloak back over himself and crept back downstairs through the common room. Quite a few people were still in there. The Creevey brothers had managed to get hold of a stack of SUPPORT CEDRIC DIGGORY badges, and were trying to bewitch them to make them say SUPPORT HARRY POTTER instead. So far, however, all they had managed to do was get the badges stuck on POTTER STINKS. Harry crept past them to the portrait hole and waited for a minute or so, keeping an eye on his watch. Then Hermione opened the Fat Lady for him from outside as they had planned. He slipped past her with a whispered "Thanks!" and set off through the castle.**

: The grounds were very dark. Harry walked down the lawn towards the lights shining in Hagrid's cabin. The inside of the enormous Beauxbatons carriage was also lit up; Harry could hear Madame Maxime talking inside it as he knocked on Hagrid's front door.

: "You there, Harry?" Hagrid whispered, opening the door and looking around.

: "Yeah," said Harry, slipping inside and pulling the Cloak down off his head. "What's up?"

: "Got summat ter show yeh," said Hagrid.They all held their breath, hoping he would elaborate quickly.**: There was an air of enormous excitement about Hagrid. He was wearing a flower that resembled an oversized artichoke in his buttonhole. It looked as though he had abandoned the use of axle grease, but he had certainly attempted to comb his hair - Harry could see the comb's broken teeth tangled in it.**Sirius' face fell. "I hope he's not taking him to show off in front of that French woman..." he muttered darkly.**: "What're you showing me?" Harry said warily, wondering if the Skrewts had laid eggs, or Hagrid had managed to buy another three-headed dog off a stranger in the pub.**

: "Come with me, keep quiet an' keep yerself covered with that Cloak," said Hagrid. "We won' take Fang, he won' like it ...": "Listen, Hagrid, I can't stay long... I've got to be back up at the castle for one o'clock-"

: But Hagrid wasn't listening; he was opening the cabin door and striding off into the night. Harry hurried to follow and found, to his great surprise, that Hagrid was leading him to the Beauxbatons carriage.Sirius groaned, while James and Lily looked scandalised.**: "Hagrid, what -?"**

: "Shhh!" said Hagrid, and he knocked three times on the door bearing the crossed, golden wands.

: Madame Maxime opened it. She was wearing a silk shawl wrapped around her massive shoulders. She smiled when she saw Hagrid. "Ah, 'Agrid ... is it time?"

: "Bong-sewer," said Hagrid, beaming at her, and holding out a hand to help her down the golden steps.Sirius and Remus imitated vomiting motions, while James laughed, and Lily threw them all looks of disgust.**: Madame Maxime closed the door behind her, Hagrid offered her his arm, and they set off around the edge of the paddock containing Madame Maxime's giant winged horses, with Harry, totally bewildered, running to keep up with them. Had Hagrid wanted to show him Madame Maxime? He could see her any old time he wanted ... she wasn't exactly hard to miss... **"True," muttered Remus, trying herd to keep a straight face, as Sirius and James continued trying to stifle their giggling.**: But it seemed that Madame Maxime was in for the same treat as Harry, because after a while she said playfully, "Wair is it you are taking me, 'Agrid?": "Yeh'll enjoy this," said Hagrid gruffly. "Worth seein', trust me. On'y - don' go tellin' anyone I showed yeh, right? Yeh're not s'posed ter know."**

: "Of course not," said Madame Maxime, fluttering her long black eyelashes."He must be showing her the dragons as well..." muttered James, "Really romantic date, Hagrid..." he added with a grin.

Sirius and Remus burst out laughing again.  
**  
: And still they walked, Harry getting more and more irritable as he jogged along in their wake, checking his watch every now and then. Hagrid had some harebrained scheme in hand, which might make him miss Sirius. If they didn't get there soon, he was going to turn around, go straight back to the castle, and leave Hagrid to enjoy his moonlit stroll with Madame Maxime . **"NO!" they all shouted.**: But then - when they had walked so far around the perimeter of the Forest that the castle and the lake were out of sight - Harry heard something. Men were shouting up ahead ... then came a deafening, ear-splitting roar.: Hagrid led Madame Maxime around a clump of trees, and came to a halt. Harry hurried up alongside them - for a split second, he thought he was seeing bonfires, and men darting around them - and then his mouth fell open.**

_: Dragons.  
_  
: Four fully grown, enormous, vicious-looking dragons were rearing on their hind legs inside an enclosure fenced with thick planks of wood, roaring and snorting - torrents of fire were shooting into the dark sky from their open, fanged mouths, fifty feet above the ground on their outstretched necks. There was a silvery blue one with long, pointed horns, snapping and snarling at the wizards on the ground; a smooth-scaled green one, which was writhing and stamping with all its might; a red one with an odd fringe of fine gold spikes around its face, which was shooting mushroom-shaped clouds into the air, and a gigantic black one, more lizard-like than the others, which was nearest to them.None of them spoke, all of them wondering what must be going through Harry's mind at this moment in time.

"Four dragons..." said James, in a hushed voice. "One for each of them..." **: At least thirty wizards, seven or eight to each dragon, were attempting to control them, pulling on the chains connected to heavy leather straps around their necks and legs. Mesmerised, Harry looked up, high above him, and saw the eyes of the black dragon, with vertical pupils like a cat's, bulging with either fear or rage, he couldn't tell which... It was making a horrible noise, a yowling, screeching scream...**

: "Keep back there, Hagrid!" yelled a wizard near the fence, straining on the chain he was holding. "They can shoot fire at a range of twenty feet, you know! I've seen this Horntail do forty!"Lily was looking at the book as though she was staring at those dragons. She looked completely bewildered, as if she hadn't a clue what to do next, knowing fine well that there was very little a fourth-year wizard could do against a fully-grown dragon . **: "Isn' it beautiful?" said Hagrid softly.**"WHAT?" screeched Lily, who had lost her head completely. "BEAUTIFUL! ONE OF THOSE THINGS IS GOING TO BE AT MY SON!"

And it took the boys all their efforts to get her to calm down again.**: "It's no good!" yelled another wizard. "Stunning Spells, on the count of three!"**

: Harry saw each of the dragon-keepers pull out his wand.

: "Stupefy!" they shouted in unison, and the Stunning Spells shot into the darkness like fiery rockets, bursting in showers of stars on the dragons' scaly hides -

: Harry watched the dragon nearest to them teeter dangerously on its hind legs; its jaws stretched wide in a suddenly silent howl; its nostrils were suddenly devoid of flame, though still smoking - then, very slowly, it fell. Several tons of sinewy, scaly black dragon hit the ground with a thud Harry could have sworn had made the trees behind them quake.

: The dragon-keepers lowered their wands and walked forwards to their fallen charges, each of which was the size of a small hill. They hurried to tighten the chains and fasten them securely to iron pegs, which they forced deep into the ground with their wands.

: "Wan' a closer look?" Hagrid asked Madame Maxime excitedly. The pair of them moved right up to the fence, and Harry followed."If it was me, I'd be running back to the castle to wait for Sirius," said James. "He's seen what Hagrid wanted to show him, he needs advice from Sirius, now!"

**: The wizard who had warned Hagrid not to come any closer turned, and Harry realized who it was: Charlie Weasley.**

: "All right, Hagrid?" he panted, coming over to talk. "They should be okay now - we put them out with a Sleeping Draught on the way here, thought it might be better for them to wake up in the dark and the quiet - but, like you saw, they weren't happy, not happy at all -""I don't expect you'd be happy if you'd fallen asleep in your home and woken to a load of strange wizards pointing wands at you in a completely strange forest," muttered Lily indignantly.  
**  
: "What breeds you got here, Charlie?" said Hagrid, gazing at the closest dragon, the black one, with something close to reverence. Its eyes were still just open. Harry could see a strip of gleaming yellow beneath its wrinkled black eyelid.**

: "This is a Hungarian Horntail," said Charlie. "There's a Common Welsh Green over there, the smaller one - a Swedish Short-Snout, that blue-gray - and a Chinese Fireball, that's the red."

: Charlie looked around; Madame Maxime was strolling away around the edge of the enclosure, gazing at the stunned dragons.

: "I didn't know you were bringing her Hagrid," Charlie said, frowning. "The champions aren't supposed to know what's coming - she's bound to tell her student, isn't she?."

: "Jus' thought she'd like ter see 'em," shrugged Hagrid, still gazing, enraptured, at the dragons.Remus, James and Sirius chuckled at the thought of Hagrid in love with a woman.**: "Really romantic date, Hagrid," said Charlie, shaking his head.**

: "Four..." said Hagrid, "so it's one fer each o' the champions, is it? What've they gotta do - fight 'em?""I hope not," said James anxiously.**: "Just get past them, I think," said Charlie. "We'll be on hand if it gets nasty, Extinguishing Spells at the ready. They wanted nesting mothers, I don't know why...**"Probably because they'd be more vicious - maybe they have to get through their eggs without getting hurt or something..." said Sirius thoughtfully.**: but I tell you this, I don't envy the one who gets the Horntail. Vicious thing. Its back end's as dangerous as its front, look.**

: Charlie pointed toward the Horntail's tail, and Harry saw long, bronze-colored spikes protruding along it every few inches.Lily gave a soft moan of worry, and James smiled at her reassuringly, though he was so worried himself, he was sure it came out as a grimace.**: Five of Charlie's fellow keepers staggered up to the Horntail at that moment, carrying a clutch of huge granite-gray eggs between them in a blanket. They placed them carefully at the Horntail's side. Hagrid let out a moan of longing.**

: "I've got them counted, Hagrid," said Charlie sternly. Then he said, "How's Harry?"

: "Fine," said Hagrid. He was still gazing at the eggs."FINE!" screeched Lily, "FINE! HOW CAN YOU SAY HE'S FINE! He's looking at four dragons with the knowledge that he's got to get past one of them - you tell me you'd be fine after that!"**: "Just hope he's still fine after he's faced this lot," said Charlie grimly, looking out over the dragons' enclosure. "I didn't dare tell Mum what he's got to do for the first task; she's already having kittens about him." Charlie imitated his mother's anxious voice. _"'How could they let him enter that tournament, he's much too young! I thought they were safe, I thought there was going to be an age limit!' _She was in floods after that Daily Prophet article about him_. 'He still cries about his parents! Oh bless him, I never knew!'" _**_  
_  
The boys all grimaced. "Of course Harry doesn't cry! Only girls do things like that," muttered Sirius gruffly.**: Harry had had enough. Trusting to the fact that Hagrid wouldn't miss him, with the attractions of four dragons and Madame Maxime to occupy him, he turned silently and began to walk away, back to the castle.**

: He didn't know whether he was glad he'd seen what was coming or not. "I'd be ecstatic - now you know what's coming!" said James firmly. "You can start to plan a strategy straight away!"

"James, this isn't another Quidditch match!" said Lily angrily.

"I know it's not, but he still has to plan ahead!" said James back.

"Yes, I know. I'm sorry - it's just..." her voice trailed away, and she put her head in her hands.**: Perhaps this way was better. The first shock was over now. Maybe if he'd seen the dragons for the first time on Tuesday, he would have passed out cold in front of the school... but maybe he would anyway... He was going to be armed with his wand - which, just now, felt like nothing more than a narrow strip of wood - against a fifty-foot-high, scaly, spike-ridden, fire-breathing dragon. And he had to get past it. With everyone watching. How?**"He could do something to the dragon's eyes," said Sirius. "I'm sure I've read somewhere that they're a dragon's weakest point."

"Excellent!" said James. "And he's just going to go up to talk to you, mate!"

**: Harry sped up, skirting the edge of the Forest; he had just under fifteen minutes to get back to the fireside and talk to Sirius, and he couldn't remember, ever, wanting to talk to someone more than he did right now - when, without warning, he ran into something very solid.**"Damn," muttered James.  
**  
: Harry fell backwards, his glasses askew, clutching the Cloak around him. A voice nearby said, "Ouch! Who's there?"**

: Harry hastily checked that the Cloak was covering him and lay very still, staring up at the dark outline of the wizard he had hit. He recognised the goatee... It was Karkaroff."Cheating git," muttered Sirius, fists clenched.

"We could call Harry that, too, you know," said Remus.

"Not really - Harry didn't know that Hagrid was going to show him what was coming in the First task," said James fairly.**: "Who's there?" said Karkaroff again, very suspiciously, looking around in the darkness. Harry remained still and silent.**"That's it, good boy," said James, so quietly they almost couldn't hear him.**: After a minute or so, Karkaroff seemed to decide that he had hit some sort of animal; he was looking around at waist height, as though expecting to see a dog. Then he crept back under the cover of the trees, and started to edge forwards towards the place where the dragons were.**

: Very slowly and very carefully, Harry got to his feet and set off again, as fast as he could without making too much noise, hurrying through the darkness back towards Hogwarts.

: He had no doubt whatsoever what Karkaroff was up to. He had sneaked off his ship to try and find out what the first task was going to be. He might even have spotted Hagrid and Madame Maxime heading off around the Forest together - they were hardly difficult to spot at a distance - and now all Karkaroff had to do was follow the sounds of voices, and he, like Madame Maxime, would know what was in store for the champions. By the looks of it, the only champion who would be facing the unknown on Tuesday was Cedric."So?" said Sirius.

But nobody paid any attention to him.**: Harry reached the castle, slipped in through the front doors and began to climb the marble stairs; he was very out of breath, but he didn't dare slow down... He had less than five minutes to get up to the fire...**

: "Balderdash!" he gasped at the Fat Lady, who was snoozing in her frame in front of the portrait hole.

: "If you say so," she muttered sleepily, without opening her eyes, and the picture swung forwards to admit him. Harry climbed inside. The common room was deserted, and, judging by the fact that it smelled quite normal, Hermione had not needed to set off any Dungbombs to ensure that he and Sirius got privacy."Good - though, I'm surprised the place doesn't still reek from the last time you two let off a load in there!" said Lily.

James and Sirius grinned proudly.**:Harry pulled off the Invisibility Cloak and threw himself into an armchair in front of the fire. The room was in semi-darkness; the flames were the only source of light. Nearby, on a table, the SUPPORT CEDRIC DIGGORY badges the Creeveys had been trying to improve were glinting in the firelight. They now read POTTER REALLY STINKS. Harry looked back into the flames, and jumped.**

: Sirius' head was sitting in the fire.James shook with excitement, and clapped Sirius on the back. "Knew you'd do it, mate!"**: If Harry hadn't seen Mr Diggory do exactly this in the Weasleys' kitchen, it would have scared him out of his wits. Instead, his face breaking into the first smile he had worn for days, he scrambled out of his chair, crouched down by the hearth and said, "Sirius - how're you doing?"**

: Sirius looked different from Harry's memory of him. When they had said goodbye, Sirius' face had been gaunt and sunken, surrounded by a quantity of long, black, matted hair-"And I bet I still looked devilishly handsome," said Sirius.**: but the hair was short and clean now, Sirius' face was fuller, and he looked younger, much more like the only photograph Harry had of him, which had been taken at the Potters. wedding.**

James grinned, but didn't dare himself to speak, sure he would say something stupid.  
**  
: "Never mind me, how are you?" said Sirius seriously.**

: "I'm -" For a second, Harry tried to say "fine" - "You're not fine, Harry - Sirius is there to help, so let him!" said James, anxiously.**: but he couldn't do it. Before he could stop himself, he was talking more than he'd talked in days - about how no one believed he hadn't entered the Tournament of his own free will, how Rita Skeeter had lied about him in the Daily Prophet, how he couldn't walk down a corridor without being sneered at - and about Ron, Ron not believing him, Ron's jealousy ...**

: "...and now Hagrid's just shown me what's coming in the first task, and it's dragons, Sirius, and I'm a goner," he finished desperately.They all sat there, hoping against hope that whatever Sirius said net would be useful enough to help Harry through the up-coming task.

**: Sirius looked at him, eyes full of concern, eyes which had not yet lost the look that Azkaban had given him - that deadened, haunted look.**"I'm still good-looking, though ..." said Sirius firmly.**: He had let Harry talk himself into a silence without interruption, but now he said, "Dragons we can deal with, Harry, but we'll get to that in a minute - **"WHAT!" stormed Lily, and James looked over at Sirius in complete disbelief, but then reason entered into his brain ...

Lily was storming and cursing at Sirius, who had recoiled, but James grabbed her and calmed her down quickly.

"Sorry," she mumbled, "it's just ... it's my boy ..."

"I hope there's nothing worse than dragons ..." said Remus, looking at Sirius.

"What do you mean?" gulped Lily.

"He means that if Sirius hasn't taken the dragon news as his main concern, then there must be something worse ..." said James.**: I haven't got long here ... I've broken into a wizarding house to use the fire, but they could be back at any time. There are things I need to warn you about." **

They all tensed, hoping against hope that the dragon was indeed all they had to worry about for the present.**: "What?" said Harry, feeling his spirits slip a further few notches ... Surely there could be nothing worse then dragons coming?**

: "Karkaroff," said Sirius. "Harry, he was a Death Eater. You know what Death Eaters are, don't you?" "He was a what?" said Lily in a terrified whisper. "And Dumbledore's let him in that school?""Was a Death Eater? Surely you never stop being one of those ... losers," said James.

"That's the best you could come up with?" said Sirius sounding highly disappointed. "A group of evil vermin who follow Voldemort ... probably helped kill you and Lily, and the best you one up with is losers? Why not dung-brains, copper-heads or ..." but here Sirius began to utter a series of very rude words, of which I shall not repeat for fear of being overheard, and considered mad for cursing at a computer screen ...

**: "Yes - he - what?": "He was caught, he was in Azkaban with me, but he got released.**"WHAT!" stormed James, but he knew full well that either information or gold exchanged hands.**: I'd bet everything that's why Dumbledore wanted an Auror at Hogwarts this year - to keep an eye on him.**"Damn right, as well!" muttered Sirius angrily.  
**  
: Moody caught Karkaroff. Put him in Azkaban in the first place."**"And by the sounds of thing should still be there," muttered James darkly.

"No wonder Karkaroff wasn't so overly-excited to see Moody," said Remus, wide-eyed.**: "Karkaroff got released?" said Harry slowly - his brain seemed to be struggling to absorb another piece of shocking information. "Why did they release him?": "He did a deal with the Ministry of Magic," said Sirius bitterly. "He said he'd seen the error of his ways, and then he named names - he put a load of other people into Azkaban in his place... He's not very popular in there, I can tell you.**"Bet he's not," muttered Sirius with grim satisfaction.**: And since he got out, from what I can tell, he's been teaching the Dark Arts to every student who passes through that school of his. So watch out for the Durmstrang champion as well."**"Maybe he put Harry's name in the Goblet," said Sirius.

"I don't think so," said Remus at once.

"Why not?" the others said to him in unison.

"Come off it, use your brains - if he's blabbed on a load of fellow Death Eaters, you can hardly expect him to believe that he can go back into Voldemort's service without fear of going through some kind of torment?"**: "OK," said Harry slowly. "But ... are you saying Karkaroff put my name in the Goblet? Because if he did, he's a really good actor. He seemed furious about it. He wanted to stop me competing."**

: "We know he's a good actor," said Sirius, "because he convinced the Ministry of Magic to set him free, didn't he? Now, I've been keeping an eye on the Daily Prophet, Harry -"

: "You and the rest of the world," said Harry bitterly."Yeah, why are you bringing that up when there's a dragon about to tear my boy open?" said Lily angrily.**: "- and, reading between the lines of that Skeeter woman's article last month, Moody was attacked the night before he started at Hogwarts. Yes, I know she says it was another false alarm," Sirius said hastily, seeing Harry about to speak, "but I don't think so, somehow. I think someone tried to stop him getting to Hogwarts. I think someone knew their job would be a lot more difficult with him around. And no one's going to look into it closely, Mad-Eye's heard intruders a bit too often. But that doesn't mean he can't still spot the real thing. Moody was the best Auror the Ministry ever had."**"God - maybe the same person who's put Harry's name in the Goblet attacked Moody?" said James, looking extremely worried. If someone thought they were a match for the best Auror the Ministry ever had, what chance did Harry, a fourteen year old, under age wizard have? **: "So ... what are you saying?" said Harry slowly. "Karkaroff's trying to kill me? But - why?" **"I'll rip his head off if I ever meet him," said James savagely.**: Sirius hesitated.**

: "I've been hearing some very strange things," he said slowly. "The Death Eaters seem to be a bit more active then usual lately. They showed themselves at the Quidditch World Cup, didn't they? Someone set off the Dark Mark ... and then - did you hear about that Ministry of Magic witch who's gone missing?"

: "Bertha Jorkins?" said Harry.

: .Exactly ... she disappeared in Albania, and that's definitely where Voldemort was rumoured to be last ... and she would have known the Triwizard Tournament was coming up, wouldn't she?""Hang on - is he suggesting that Voldemort knows about the Tournament from this woman, and he's now hatched some kind of plan to get Harry killed?. said Lily, looking horrified at the very idea of it.

"By the sounds of thing," said James, sounding as anxious as Lily looked. "At the beginning of the book, Voldemort seemed adamant that Harry's the one he wants .. **: "Yeah, but ... it's not very likely she'd have walked straight into Voldemort, is it?" said Harry.**

: "Listen, I knew Bertha Jorkins," said Sirius grimly. "She was at Hogwarts when I was, a few years above your dad and me. And she was an idiot. Very nosy, but no brains, none at all. It's not a good combination, Harry. I'd say she'd be very easy to lure into a trap.""As you know from experience, I assume," said James, grinning slightly.

"You know me too well," said Sirius, but he did not grin back.

**: "So ... so Voldemort could have found out about the Tournament?" said Harry. "Is that what you mean? You think Karkaroff might be here on his orders?": "I don't know," said Sirius slowly. "I just don't know ... Karkaroff doesn't strike me as the type of person who'd go back to Voldemort unless he knew Voldemort was powerful enough to protect him. But whoever put your name in that Goblet did it for a reason, and I can't help thinking the Tournament would be a very good way to attack you, and make it look like an accident."**"Damn right it is," said James angrily.

"I hope to God that this has nothing to do with Voldemort..." muttered Lily.

"It's bound to be, though," said Remus grimly.

"Of course it is," said Sirius, and he swore several times before adding, "he's certainly cunning enough to persuade people to do things for him, and he's not dead, we know that."**: "Looks like a really good plan from where I'm standing," said Harry bleakly. "They'll just have to stand back and let the dragons do their stuff."**

: "Right - these dragons," said Sirius, speaking very quickly now. "There's a way, Harry. Don't be tempted to try a Stunning Spell - dragons are strong and too powerfully magical to be knocked out by a single Stunner. You need about half-a-dozen wizards at a time to overcome a dragon -": "Yeah, I know, I just saw," said Harry.

: "But you can do it alone," said Sirius. "There is a way, and a simple spell's all you need. Just -"

: But Harry held up a hand to silence him, his heart suddenly pounding as though it would burst. He could hear footsteps coming down the spiral staircase behind him."WHAT!" said James and Lily together.

"Typical - just when I'm about to tell him," said Sirius darkly, cursing the fates.**: "Go!" he hissed at Sirius. "_Go!_ There's someone coming!"**"Whoever it is, I hope Harry puts rat droppings in their breakfast tomorrow morning," muttered Sirius.**: Harry scrambled to his feet, hiding the fire - if someone saw Sirius' face within the walls of Hogwarts, they would raise an almighty uproar - the Ministry would get dragged in - he, Harry, would be questioned about Sirius' whereabouts - **"And none of us wants that," said Remus.

"Yeah, get to whoever it is - I hope Harry punches his lights out!" said James angrily.**: Harry heard a tiny pop in the fire behind him, and knew Sirius had gone. He watched the bottom of the spiral staircase. Who had decided to go for a stroll at one o'clock in the morning, and stopped Sirius telling him how to get past a dragon? **"Yeah, who is it?. said James and Sirius together, cracking their knuckles, as though they were going to pounce straight into the book and ambush the person in question.**: It was Ron.**"Ron?" they all said.

"Of course, Ron doesn't know Harry's talking to Sirius!" said Lily.

"That gives him no excuse to wander at one o'clock in the morning!" snapped Sirius.

"Coming from the person who does that nearly every night," said Remus coolly.**: Dressed in his maroon pyjamas, Ron stopped dead facing Harry across the room, and looked around.**

: "Who were you talking to?" he said.

: "What's that got to do with you?" Harry snarled. "What are you doing down here at this time of night?"

: "I just wondered where you - " Ron broke off, shrugging. "Nothing. I'm going back to bed."

: "Just thought you'd come nosing around, did you?" Harry shouted. He knew that Ron had no idea what he'd walked in on, knew he hadn't done it on purpose, but he didn't care - at this moment he hated everything about Ron, right down to the several inches of bare ankle showing beneath his pyjama trousers."That's it - have a shouting match, then you might stop all this nonsense," said Lily, hopefully.  
**  
: "Sorry about that," said Ron, his face reddening with anger. "Should've realised you didn't want to be disturbed. I'll let you get on with practising for your next interview in peace."**

: Harry seized one of the POTTER REALLY STINKS badges off the table and chucked it, as hard as he could, across the room. It hit Ron on the forehead and bounced off."That's it, Harry!" said Sirius.**: "There you go," said Harry. "Something for you to wear on Tuesday. You might even have a scar now, if you're lucky... That's what you want, isn't it?"**None of them spoke, waiting for Ron's reaction.**: He strode across the room towards the stairs; he half expected Ron to stop him, he would have even liked Ron to throw a punch at him, but Ron just stood there in his too-small pyjamas, and Harry, having stormed upstairs, lay awake in bed fuming for a long time afterwards, and didn't hear him come up to bed.**"Hopefully he's realising that he's being stupid, though Harry's not acting much better," muttered James.


	20. Authors Note

*creeps in silently* Please hold the tomato throwing till you finish reading the whole thing.

Oh hey everyone, umm guess who just found out they had this story pending… Yeah, me. I was actually reading some other fan fics when I stumbled into this one and realized that I had written it, and then completely forgot about it and the account. Its taken me a while to figure out what email and password I used and finally I was able to log back in. I'm really sorry to have abandoned this fic for so long. I've had a very tumultuous past 5 years. I'm thinking of picking up this story again, but to tell you the truth, I hardly remember what I wrote. So I'll be going back and reading the whole thing to try and get back in touch with characters. I'm certain that I'll be making some changes in characters personalities but hopefully not too many big changes. I'll update as soon as I figure out what I'll be doing. But, ill definitely be finishing this book. At some point. No promises about the rest though. Thank you all who have been reading this fic and reviewed.

Gryffyndor12


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